


Across Factions

by Jestana



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-05-09
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2017-11-05 02:20:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/401377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jestana/pseuds/Jestana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jestana, a human hunter, runs into an old familiar face.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Not-So-Opposing

**Author's Note:**

> I originally started this when I did Dragonblight on Orsinago, my blood elf hunter (now my only Horde 85), and the first scene came to me. Then it grew from there. Beta by Unicorn_Catcher and Umbralillium on LJ. Refers to past content, so if you don't know about it, you might be confused.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How two hunters from opposite factions meet and go from allies to friends to lovers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 9/7/2017: Since I initially wrote this and subsequent chapters, I've revised my timeline for when Seboath was born. Consequently, I've also revised this chapter to allow for that change and to include a scene where Orsi first meets Seb.

Pulling her cloak tighter around herself, Jestana reined in her palomino mare for the moment, surveying the bleak, snow-covered landscape. Amarisa, her well-trained wolf companion, pressed against the horse's side, blue-gray-tinted fur fluffed up against the cold wind that blew around them. The huntress glanced down at her canine companion. "What do you think, Ama, are we going the right way?" Looking up at the human, an uncertain whine escaped from the wolf's throat. Jestana sighed. "That's what I was afraid of. All this white has me turned around." Huffing out another sigh, she nudged Aurora into resuming their journey. "Well, going somewhere is better than going nowhere."

They continued their trek in silence, heads bowed against the wind as darkness began to fall. Off to the left some distance ahead of them, a fire flickered in the deepening twilight. Thinking only of the warmth it would provide, Jestana turned her horse's head in that direction, squeezing with her knees to urge her into a faster walk, then a trot, and finally a gallop. Snorting, Aurora stopped so suddenly when she reached the source of the flickering light at the mouth of a cave that she nearly sat on her haunches. Amarisa growled when she caught up with them. Jestana could only stare: a sin'dorei man stood up from where he'd been crouched by the fire, gazing up at the human woman with undisguised surprise in his eyes. After a long moment of silence, he spoke in accented Common: "Jestana Ivers?"

"Orsinago Daystar," she replied, finally placing the dark red hair and clean-shaven face. "I didn't realize you'd come back to Azeroth."

Grinning crookedly, he stepped forward to hold her horse's head as she dismounted. "The warchief sent out a command that able-bodied adventurers come to Northrend to fight against the Scourge, so here I am."

"Same on my side," she admitted, leading Aurora over to join his red hawkstrider at the back of the cave. "The king is recruiting as many people as he can to help the fight."

The sin'dorei hunter watched as she draped a blanket over the mare and carefully looped a nosebag over her head. "Where are you headed specifically?"

"Fordragon Hold," she answered quietly, drawing her cloak tighter around herself as she moved towards the fire, saddlebags in hand. "From Wyrmrest Temple."

Orsinago cleared snow off the fallen log he'd been using as a seat and Jestana sat down with a grateful smile. The warmth of the fire felt good. He sat down beside her as Amarisa settled by her feet. "I've just come from there, too. I'm on my way to the Kor'kron Vanguard, though."

"Ships passing in the night," she murmured, reaching into her saddlebags for some of her travel rations. She offered one of the biscuits to the wolf, who practically inhaled it. Laughing at Amarisa's hopeful look, Jestana nudged her with one booted foot. "Go on and find something else for you."

The wolf glanced at Orsinago, as if uncertain of leaving her mistress alone with him. Correctly interpreting her uncertainty, he held his hand across Jestana to let the wolf sniff it. She did and seemed satisfied, getting up and trotting off into the darkness. Straightening up, he commented to the huntress, "I'm glad she remembers me at all. It's been awhile."

"Yes, it has." Jestana focused on eating her rations, aware of his warm bulk beside her. "Do you still have Firestorm or do you have a different pet?"

He chuckled and gestured across the fire at the red-gold lynx just emerging from the shadows. "See for yourself."

"You've managed to keep one for more than a few months?" Jestana asked with a grin, holding out her hand to the feline, who padded over and sniffed it.

Apparently, he remembered Jestana as well as Amarisa had Orsinago, because he butted his head against her hand, demanding attention. "I just needed to find one who was a proper fit for me, like Ama is for you and I finally did in Stormy."

"I'm very glad for you, Orsi," she told him sincerely, resuming her meal.

He smiled, but said nothing as he continued his own interrupted meal. Amarisa returned shortly afterwards, licking her muzzle. She paused when she saw the lynx, and then trotted over to sniff at him in greeting. After a moment, the two curled up together and fell asleep. Orsinago glanced at Jestana, his crooked smile back in place. "I think they have the best idea, don't you?"

"That we should sleep?" she asked, ignoring the way her heart skipped a beat. "Yes, I think that's the best idea. I'm exhausted."

The sin'dorei man turned to bank the fire, keeping his glowing green eyes focused on that task. "Would you object to sharing? We'll be warmer if we do and less likely to freeze to death."

"Sharing would be ideal," the human woman agreed, willing herself not to fidget. "Just no funny business, all right?"

He sat up and held his hand up, his voice solemn though his eyes danced with amusement. "I solemnly swear that I won't take advantage of you while we're sleeping."

"Thank you." She unbuckled her sleeping bag from her backpack and carried it over to where Orsinago had already spread out his. It was the work of a few moments to join the bags. Keeping her back to her companion, she stripped out of her armor and quickly crawled, shivering, into the sleeping bags.

Jestana stayed curled up until she felt the other hunter slip into the bag with her, a muscular arm sliding around her waist to pull her back against a solidly-muscled chest. He brushed a kiss across her cheek that made her heart skip a beat. "Good night, Jes."

"Good night, Orsi," she murmured around a yawn. As she fell asleep, she mused that he still smelled like autumn and woodsmoke.

* * *

_His gait a bit stiff after an energetic night, Orsinago entered the inn's dining room in search of breakfast, stifling a yawn as he looked around for an empty seat. A slender sin'dorei woman waved to catch his attention, shoulder-length hair the same dark red as his. "Orsi, over here!"_

_"Morning, Eru." He leaned down to kiss her cheek once he reached her side, sliding into the seat next to hers._

_Erubadhriel kissed his cheek in return, smiling wryly. "It's closer to afternoon, actually."_

_"Is it?" He barely glanced out the window, stifling another yawn. "Who can tell anymore?"_

_His oldest sister laughed, amused by his determined irreverence. "I was just getting to know a new recruit to the Scryers: Jestana Ivers. Jestana, this is my baby brother, Orsinago Daystar."_

_"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Daystar," the human woman across the table from them told him, offering a slender hand across the table._

_Orsinago took in her appearance as he shook her hand: on the slender--for a human--side with light auburn hair and brown eyes, her skin was pale for a human, but still darker than the two sin'dorei. "It's nice to meet you, too, Miss Ivers."_

_"Jestana here is a hunter, too, Orsi," Erubadhriel interjected as the human resumed eating. "Maybe she can give you pointers on sticking with the same pet for more than a few months."_

_He rolled his eyes and refused to respond until he'd ordered something from the waiter. Once he had, he informed his sister, "It's not **my** fault the pets don't work out for me."_

_"If you'd just give them more than a few months," she began, exasperation coloring her tone._

_Jestana inserted herself into the conversation just then, "Maybe it's not the pet that's the problem here, Miss Daystar."_

_"What do you mean?" Orsinago looked sharply at the woman. She was the first person he'd met who wasn't afraid to try to cut Erubadhriel off when she started on about something._

_Shrugging, she took a sip of her juice. "My younger sister tried to be a hunter when we were little, but it just wasn't working, so she became a paladin instead. We're all much happier."_

_"No, I can hunt," he quickly defended himself, pausing when the waiter arrived with his food. "I just need to find the right pet to hunt with."_

_Jestana held her hands up in a placating gesture. "It was just a suggestion. My uncle breeds wolves to be combat pets. I've had Amarisa since she was a cub and can't imagine hunting without her by my side."_

_"That's how it's **supposed** to work for us, too," Orsinago replied after swallowing his bite of food. "It didn't quite happen, though, because my dragonhawk was killed in a stupid accident."_

_She winced and placed a hand over her heart. "You have my complete sympathy, Mr. Daystar."_

_"That doesn't bring Jafar back," he muttered, thinking of the day he lost his dragonhawk._

_Erubadhriel nudged him with her elbow. "That wasn't very nice, Orsi."_

_"What?" he glanced at his sister, and then across the table at the human woman. Though she hurried to school her expression, he caught a glimpse of stricken eyes. "I'm sorry, Miss Ivers. I sometimes speak without stopping to think first."_

_If she were inclined to it, Erubadhriel would have snorted in disbelief. As it was, she merely rolled her eyes. "Sometimes? Try almost every time you open your mouth."_

_"I'm not **that** bad!" he protested. She simply gazed at him implacably. He sighed. "All right, so I often don't use tact when I speak."_

_His sister nodded. "Close enough."_

_"You two remind me of the way Eva and I would go back and forth," Jestana commented wistfully, a faint smile curving her lips._

_Orsinago took a bite of his meal. "Is she your paladin sister?"_

_"Yes. She tried to hunt, but she just could **not** hit the target, whether she used a bow or a blunderbuss." The huntress smiled in fond remembrance. "She enjoyed learning from the village paladin, though, so Mom and Dad gave their blessing for her to train with him once she was old enough."_

_He finished his meal and wiped his mouth with his napkin. "I'm very glad it worked out for her. If you'll excuse me, I have some things to take care of."_

_"I'll see you, Orsi." Erubadhriel tilted her head so he could kiss her cheek, which he did._

_She kissed his cheek in return. "Take care, Eru, and say 'hi' to Cal for me." He nodded to the human woman. "It was nice to meet you, Miss Ivers."_

_"Likewise, Mr. Daystar." She shook the sin'dorei man's hand._

_Without another look back, he headed out of the inn and over to the stable to see how well he and Tashlan would get along._

* * *

"Light preserve us, NO!" Jestana could only watch, horrified, as the plaguebombs fell on the Alliance and Horde soldiers fighting the Scourge in front of Angrathar. She knew, as everyone did, that those bombs meant certain death for everyone who inhaled their contents. _Oh, gods, I hope Orsi isn't there!_

She was distracted from her thoughts by a cry nearby: "Look! The dragons are coming! The dragons are coming!"

"What can they do against the plague?" someone else asked, sounding skeptical.

The sight of the dragons flaming the ledge with the catapults, and then the ground infected by the plague was answer enough. Jestana pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle a cry at the thought of all those soldiers: _If the plague didn't kill them, the dragons' flames certainly must have..._

"No! Tom!" a woman cried near Jestana. She must have been close to one of the soldiers.

All around her, cries of grief began to fill the air as the others realized the full implications of what they'd just witnessed. Jestana didn't join the grieving, however. There was still a chance, however small, that her friend was still alive. After all, Orsinago was no more a soldier of the Horde than she was of the Alliance. It was possible that the Horde commander had made the sin'dorei hunter stay behind, as Lord Fordragon had with her. She was so deep into her musings that it took her a few moments to realize that a red dragon had landed before her. When she finally saw him, he spoke, "Quickly, young hunter. The Queen requests your presence before the gates of Angrathar."

"Yes, of course." She started for the stables to get Aurora, only to pause as something occurred to her. Turning back to the dragon, she asked, "What about the plague?"

She supposed his expression was meant to be reassuring, but he only looked even fiercer. "Don't worry, youngling. It's no longer a danger to mortals such as yourself."

"Thank you." She hurried to saddle her horse, calling Amarisa to join her once she was mounted. Her wolf at her side, she rode to the Wrathgate, towards where she could see the immense forms of Alexstrasza, the Queen of Dragons, and her consort, Korialstrasz, waiting patiently.

Dismounting once she arrived, she approached the pair and bowed respectfully. "Thank you for coming, young Jestana."

"I will do as you command, your Majesty," she replied, taking in the mix of devastation and blooming life with awe. Unable to contain herself, she asked, "Is it certain that no one survived?"

The dragon queen shook her immense head. "None, little hunter."

"Jes!" Her heart nearly stopped at the familiar shout. _It can't be..._

Forgetting the two dragons for the moment, she turned around, vaguely aware that Amarisa had bolted from her side. There, riding towards them, was Orsinago on his hawkstrider, Firestorm bounding ahead to greet Amarisa. Relief and delight flooding through her, she barely let the sin'dorei dismount before she flung herself at him. "Orsi! You're all right! I was worried that you were here."

"No, Saurfang felt I'd do more good staying behind," he admitted, hugging her just as tightly as she was hugging him. "I worried that _you'd_ be here."

She shook her head as she reluctantly stepped back. "No, it was the same for me: Lord Fordragon thought the best place for me was away from the front line."

"It seems they made wise decisions," Orsinago commented, keeping hold of her hand as turned to take in their surroundings, glowing eyes glittering for a moment.

When he saw the two dragons, he stopped and bowed respectfully. "Thank you for coming, young Orsinago. I have a task for you, and one for you, Miss Jestana."

"I will do it if it is in my power," she told the Lifebinder, lightly squeezing her friend's hand. She _knew_ the tasks Alexstrasza had in mind for them would send them two different directions.

Orsinago returned the squeeze as the Dragon Queen spoke, addressing her comments solely to the human for the moment: "Our fate is emblazoned upon our souls at birth. Bolvar's fall, while tragic, was unavoidable. All that you can do now is honor your hero, Jestana. Collect Bolvar's shield from the field of battle and return it to your king. When you present the shield to Varian, tell him this: _'All is not lost. From the ashes of the fallen will rise a force that will unite nations and purge the evil from this world.'_ "

"Yes, your Majesty." She bowed again, her heart breaking at the thought of how the king was likely to react when she presented him with his friend's shield.

Next, the Queen of Dragons spoke to Orsinago in Thalassian. Having worked hard to learn it after befriending him and his sister, Jestana understood her words as well as her friend: "Darkness stirs, Orsinago. A tragic event has transpired that none but the Timeless One could have foreseen. Soon your people will be gripped by anger and hatred. War is on the horizon. The red dragonflight has done all that it can. What happens next is in the hands of the mortal races of Azeroth. Regrettably, your journey begins with anguish. A father has lost a child today. You must bear the grim news. Gather the armaments of Saurfang and return them to the elder Saurfang."

"As you command, your Majesty." He bowed as well, his face unusually somber. Jestana wished for a moment to see a glimpse of his typical determined irreverence, but it seemed unlikely.

With a heavy heart, she found Bolvar's shield and carried it over to where Aurora waited calmly and patiently. After securing it to the saddle, she mounted her horse and whistled reluctantly for Amarisa. The wolf left off gamboling with Firestorm and trotted over to take up her place beside Jestana. She raised her hand to wave to Orsinago, who'd mounted his hawkstrider as well. "Until we meet again, Orsi."

"Until then, Jes." He waved back, clucked his tongue, and headed back the way he'd come.

Turning Aurora's head, she headed back to Fordragon Hold to catch a gryphon to Dalaran, there to take the portal to Stormwind in order to make her report to the king. _He's going to want to attack the Horde for this. I **know** it!_

* * *

_Since she'd joined the Scryers, Orsinago often saw Jestana doing work for them, just as he did. She rarely seemed to give Amarisa verbal commands, relying on a variety of whistles and calls instead. One time, while staying in Shadowmoon Valley, Orsinago happened to catch sight of the pair being set upon by a large group of enemies. He considered sending Firestorm, his current pet, down to help them while he shot them from his perch, but he remembered that Jestana was a fiercely independent woman, preferring to do things on her own. So he stayed where he was and watched, fingers threaded through Firestorm's ruff of golden fur. Amarisa was a whirlwind of teeth and claws, her growls audible to his ears. Jestana herself wasn't idle, using her polearm with deadly effect to dispatch her attackers one by one. In the end, they all lay dead around her and her wolf._

_Only once she'd knelt to check Amarisa's wounds did he descend from his perch and approach her. Even then, her head snapped up, brown eyes flashing with anger. Her expression softened when she recognized him. "Hi, Orsi."_

_"Hello, Jes." He stopped beside her and gave Firestorm a stroke. The lynx moved towards the wolf and began to lick her fur where blood stained it. "That was quite a fight you had there."_

_Sitting back on her heels, the human picked up her backpack and rummaged through it for something. "You saw? Why didn't you help?"_

_"I was afraid you'd attack me if I did," he replied, taking the first aid kit from her and opening it. He used one of the disinfecting wipes to begin cleaning the blood on her face that trickled from a cut along her hairline. "And I like myself without wounds, thank you very much."_

_Chuckling, she held still under his ministrations. "You have a valid point, since they were all sin'dorei as well."_

_"You used to call them blood elves," he commented quietly, carefully cleaning the cut itself now. "Why did that change?"_

_She shrugged a little. "That's what you and Eru call yourselves, so I thought I should, too."_

_"Are you going to learn Thalassian, too?" Orsinago asked curiously, lightly probing the cut with his fingers. **Not bad enough to require a bandage...**_

_She removed her gloves and bracers to reveal a gash on her left arm just below the sleeve of her chestguard. Without a word, he began to clean that as well. "Is that your language? It sounds very beautiful when I hear your people speaking it."_

_"Yes, it's our language and it's not easy to learn," he placed a bandage over the gash and taped it in place._

_Jestana put her gloves and bracers in her backpack, and then got to her feet. She straightened up with a hiss of pain, one hand going to her side under her ribs. When she pulled it away, her fingers were red with blood. "When did they get me there?"_

_"You were probably so focused on fighting that you didn't notice," he remarked, helping her remove her chestguard. She wore a shirt underneath that and he pushed it up to find a slash along her stomach just below the ribs. "This is going to need stitches. Do you have anything that can help numb the pain?"_

_Reluctantly, she sat down and rummaged through her backpack once again. "Don't think so. I mostly carry rations for myself and Ama. It's normally not a problem."_

_"Just a moment." He returned to where he'd left his hawkstrider, Vermillion, and rummaged through his own backpack, finding the bottle of potent wine he'd bought when last he'd stocked up. When he rejoined Jestana, Amarisa had sat down beside her mistress, who was leaning against the wolf with her eyes closed. "Wake up, Jes, you need to drink this."_

_She pushed the proffered bottle away, not even opening her eyes. "No, I don't drink."_

_"Unless you want to **feel** me stitching up that nasty wound, you need to drink," he insisted, pressing the bottle into her hand._

_Sighing, she sat up and took the bottle, taking a swallow. "There, happy?"_

_"No, you need to drink more than that," he busied himself preparing a needle and thread from Jestana's first aid kit as well as a bandage to put over the wound once he'd stitched it closed._

_Grumbling, she did as he instructed. Once it was half-gone, he had her hold onto Amarisa to keep herself steady. "Just do it, Orsi."_

_"I'll be as quick as I can," he assured her, beginning to suture the wound closed._

_She gasped and quickly took another drink of the wine. He worked as quickly and carefully as he could, ensuring that there were no gaps between the edges of skin. So focused was he on his task that he hardly noticed that Jestana kept drinking. By the time he'd finished and covered the wound with the bandage, the bottle was empty. "Thanksh, Orshi."_

_"You're welcome, Jes." He tugged her shirt down over the wound and gently plucked the bottle from her limp hand. "The Sanctum of the Stars isn't too far from here. We should head there now to give you a chance to recover."_

_As he packed her first aid kit and tucked it into her backpack with her chestguard, she rested one hand on his chest. "Y'r very handshome, did you know that?"_

_"Yes, I do know that." There was a reason he rarely lacked for a bedmate when he was looking for one. He stood up and pulled Jestana to her feet. She promptly stumbled and fell against his chest. Orsinago automatically wrapped his arms around her to steady her._

_Giggling, the huntress slid her hand down his chest and stomach to his belt buckle. "I want you. Will you take me to bed with you?"_

_"Only to sleep," he told her firmly, scooping her up into his arms to carry her over to where Vermillion waited patiently. "You're in no shape to have sex with anyone."_

_She rested her auburn head on his shoulder, toying with the collar of his chestguard. "Don' wanna have shex with anyone 'cept you. Dream about it all the time."_

_"That's the wine talking," Orsinago answered firmly, helping her onto the hawkstrider before climbing up behind her. Imitating the whistle Jestana used to command Amarisa to follow her, he was gratified when the wolf fell in without any trouble._

_Leaning heavily back against his chest, she shook her head. "Nope. All me, me, me..."_

_Her words trailed off into a snore and he breathed a sigh of relief. **She's going to have a horrible headache when she wakes up in the morning and I doubt she'll remember anything that she said. More's the pity. I like her very much, too...**_

* * *

The moment they arrived in Stormwind, Jestana and Evalynna rode directly for the Keep, announcing to the guards that they had important news for the king from Northrend. After a brief wait during which they did their best to scrub away some of the grime of their travels, they were ushered into the throne room. The king stood before his throne with the prince nearby. To the hunter's surprise, Lady Jaina Proudmoore was present as well. Varian spoke, his gaze intense, as always. "You have news, ladies?"

"We do, your Majesty." They knelt before the throne as Jestana spoke, still holding the lord's shield. "We've come straight from Angrathar. The assault ended in failure. It is only thanks to the intervention of the dragons that we are able to tell you this much."

The king stared at them with shocked eyes. "What happened, exactly?"

"It began well enough." Her voice steady at first, Jestana related the events of the attack, speaking of how the Alliance and Horde forces put aside their differences in order to fight the Scourge side by side. When she mentioned the emergence of the Lich King at Bolvar's taunt, her voice shook a little. Even from her post so far away, his very presence had sent chills of fear through her. In describing the last moments of the battle, her voice fell to a mere whisper. "No one survived, your Majesty." Finally, she revealed Bolvar's shield. "Not even Lord Fordragon. The Queen of Dragons said to tell you this: _'All is not lost. From the ashes of the fallen will rise a force that will unite nations and purge the evil from this world.'_ "

Much to her surprise, tears glittered on the king's cheeks. He quickly wiped them away, and then reached out to take the shield from her, tracing the device on it carefully. Slowly, the king nodded. "This is my fault. The Dragon Queen is right, Jestana. All is not lost. I will be the force that rises from the ashes and I will purge the evil of the Horde from this world. The deaths of our brothers and sisters will not have been in vain."

"If I may, your Majesty?" Jaina interrupted, stepping forward with a concerned expression upon her face.

As the two conversed in whispers, Jestana glanced at the prince. He looked pale and quiet, his gaze fixed on the shield his father still held. _Of course! Lord Fordragon was like a father to the prince while the king was missing!_ Finally, the conversation ended and the king addressed them once again. "At the behest of Lady Proudmoore, I will allow a diplomatic mission to Orgrimmar to question the Horde's Warchief, Thrall. You two will assist her in this journey and keep her safe from harm. Return to me with news from Orgrimmar."

"Yes, your Majesty." Standing up, they saluted him. It was a relief in a way to know that the king would at least ask questions before charging headlong into a fight.

She whispered a command to Amarisa as Evalynna drew her sword, ordering her to remain alert and ready for battle. The wolf whined quietly in response and Jestana was satisfied that she would stay nearby while they were in Orgrimmar. Turning to the mage, the sisters nodded to indicate their readiness. The blonde woman gazed back at them with serious eyes. "Do not do anything that would incite the Horde. The Warchief has agreed to see us on good faith. Let's go."

After a brief moment of disorientation, Jestana found herself in a circular room surrounded by orcs, trolls, and even sin'dorei. One in particular caught her eye: _Orsi! He made it safely!_ By her side, Amarisa seemed to shiver, as if she wanted to rush over to greet Firestorm, but Jestana's command restrained her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Evalynna stare at Orsinago for a moment, and then glance at her sister, as if she recognized him. The sight of armed orcs running in to attack them distracted both of them, however, and she quickly readied her bow, Amarisa alert at her side, while Evalynna lifted her sword. The orc she recognized as Thrall gave a command before any blood could be shed: "Kor'kron, stand down!" Once the orc guards obeyed his command, he turned to the mage. "Jaina..." 

"Thrall, what has happened? The King is preparing for war..." Jaina asked the questions and Jestana couldn't help sneaking glances at Orsinago, who stood to one side, his gaze fixed on the warchief, one hand absently stroking Firestorm's fur. The lynx had his eyes fixed on Amarisa, who remained by Jestana's side, ears alert and pricked as she constantly looked around the room, sniffing the air occasionally.

"Jaina, what happened at the Wrathgate. It was a betrayal from within..." He began the explanation, sounding truly sorry for all the deaths. Watching him, she understood now why Orsinago respected him so much. Thrall was different from most orcs she'd met, without the thirst for blood and vengeance that characterized them as a race. _He's so different from what I expected him to be like..._

Jestana was startled to realize the woman who distracted her from her musings with her words, who'd been kneeling before Thrall, was Lady Sylvanas Windrunner, formerly under the Lich King's control, but now the leader of the Forsaken. "Lady Proudmoore, the Warchief speaks the truth. This subterfuge was set in motion by Varimathras and Grand Apothecary Putress. It was not the Horde's doing. As the combined Horde and Alliance forces began their assault upon the Wrathgate, an uprising broke out in the Undercity. Varimathras and hordes of his demonic brethren attacked. Hundreds of my people were slain in the coup. I barely managed to escape with my life."

"The Horde has lost the Undercity." Thrall took over the explanation then, looking angry and now Jestana could see how he'd come to lead his people despite his desire for peace. "We now prepare to lay siege to the city and bring in the perpetrators of the unforgivable crime to justice. If we are forced into a conflict, the Lich King will destroy our divided forces in Northrend. We will make this right, Jaina. Tell your king all that you have learned here."

As she answered, Jaina looked troubled and Jestana shared her worries. "I will deliver this information to King Wrynn, Thrall, but, Bolvar was like a brother to him. In the King's absence, Bolvar kept the Alliance united. He found strength for our people in our darkest hours. He watched over Anduin, raising him as his own. I fear that the rage will consume him, Thrall. I remain hopeful that reason will prevail, but we must prepare for the worst... for war. Farewell, Warchief. I pray that the next time we meet it will be as allies."

Wishing she'd had a chance to speak with Orsinago, Jestana stepped through the portal Jaina had created, finding herself back in Stormwind once more, Evalynna beside her. Jaina wasted no time reporting what Thrall had told them as Jestana whispered a command to Amarisa to stand down. The wolf relaxed her stance, even sitting down by Jestana's feet. As expected, the king looked angry at the news. "They have lost the Undercity? Then the time to strike is now. We will deal with Putress ourselves and retake the Ruins of Lordaeron for the Alliance!"

As the guards and civilians gathered in the throne room cheered, Jestana's heart sank and she rested her hand on Amarisa's head, stroking the soft fur. _I hope we don't encounter the Horde forces there. I don't want to fight Orsi..._

* * *

_As Orsinago had expected, Jestana didn't remember much of what had happened while she was drunk. "I remember you starting to stitch the wound closed, but everything after that is kind of hazy." She looked up at him with some trepidation. "I didn't do anything silly, did I?"_

_"No, nothing like that," he assured her quickly. "You just fell asleep on our way back here."_

_She nodded, looking relieved. "Oh, good. Thank you for helping me, Orsi."_

_"Not at all, Jes," he told her with a grin. "Anything for a friend."_

_She managed a weak smile in reply and he wondered if he imagined the disappointment that flashed across her face. He didn't get a chance to ask her any questions because she excused herself soon after. Up to now, he'd always thought of the human woman as a friend. An admittedly odd choice of friend for a sin'dorei, but a friend nonetheless. Now, however, he took a hard look at his feelings for the huntress. She was certainly lovely in her way, with a tall--for a human--curvy build, pale creamy complexion, expressive brown eyes, and thick auburn hair. It wasn't her physical beauty that he dwelt on, however, but her inner beauty. She had a kind, generous, and compassionate heart, which made it all the more puzzling as to why she was running errands for the Scryers, many of which required her to kill people._

_**"How do you justify it?" he asked her one day while they'd both still been in Shattrath. "How do you live with yourself after killing people?"** _

_**Jestana kept her attention on the bracer she was repairing even as she answered, "The people I kill are people just like the ones who killed my parents when I was a teenager: unscrupulous murderers. They deserve to die and if it means I protect innocent people from being murdered, all the better."** _

_**"That's the most cynical thing I've heard you say," he commented, surprised by her attitude.** _

_**She looked up at him, brown eyes hard and cold. "I may be an optimist by nature, but we have our limits like everyone."** _

_**"I understand." He held up his hands in feigned surrender. "Just bring back the optimistic Jes, please."** _

_**A playful smile erased her hardened expression, "Did you miss me?"** _

_**"Of course, I did. You're much nicer," he retorted with a smile, hiding his relief.** _

_All in all, he rather liked the idea of being more than a friend to Jestana. He just wasn't sure if her attempt at a pass had been due more to the alcohol or lower inhibitions. Much as he would have liked to find out which it'd been, he didn't want to risk losing her friendship. Those were few and far between in his work. So he kept quiet and just enjoyed the time they spent together: him teaching her Thalassian and her teaching him how to fight properly in hand-to-hand combat (there were some benefits to having a paladin sister, apparently). One morning, as he attempted to train Firestorm to obey a more complex command, a hail from the main building of the Sanctum distracted both of them. "Orsi!"_

_"Hi, Jes!" he called back, smiling as he waved. When she drew closer and he saw how pale and drawn her face was, his smile faded. "What's wrong? Has something happened?"_

_She flourished a piece of parchment. "I just received word from Wildhammer Stronghold. Eva 's grievously hurt. I need to go to her."_

_"Isn't she a paladin?" he asked, frowning as she came to a stop in front of him. "She can heal herself, right?"_

_Jestana nodded, but the worry didn't leave her eyes. "Yes, she can, but if she's this badly injured, she's probably out of mana and unable to heal herself anymore."_

_"Then go to her." He rested his hands on her shoulders and gently squeezed. "She needs you."_

_Much to his surprise, tears welled up in her eyes. "I can't lose her, Orsi! She's all the family I have left!"_

_"Shh, c'mere." He drew her into a gentle hug, rubbing her back reassuringly. "If she's anything like you, you **won't** lose her. She won't let a measly injury stop her."_

_Even as she clung to him, Jestana laughed. "You have a point there."_

_"You should still go see her," Orsinago suggested gently, aware that she'd pulled back enough to look up at him, but her arms still rested around his waist and his around her shoulders. "I've a feeling she'll be glad for it."_

_Smiling, she stretched up to kiss his cheek. Just a light brush of her lips against his skin, but he felt it to the depths of his being. "Thank you, Orsi."_

_"You're welcome, Jes." He kissed her cheek in return, not sure if he imagined the soft intake of breath on her part._

_The next moment, she was gone, heading to the flight master to take a gryphon to Wildhammer Stronghold. That was the last he saw of her, until they met up again Dragonblight._

* * *

As proud as she was to fight alongside her king, Jestana dreaded the moment when the Alliance forces would encounter the Horde soldiers. She knew it was only a matter of time because they'd found corpses to show that they weren't the only ones fighting for the Undercity. _Light help me, I hope Orsi isn't here!_ Finally, they faced down Putress and she wasn't sure, but the king's attacks seemed to be more savage as he struck blow after blow. Behind the Forsaken Apothecary, Amarisa harried him with teeth and, occasionally, claws. Even as she loosed arrow after arrow at him, Jestana dodged the blight barrels that he threw. Finally, Putress lay dead at King Varian's feet and Amarisa returned to Jestana's side. Setting her bow aside for the moment, the huntress knelt to check her pet for any wounds, hugging her briefly when she found none. Beside Putress' corpse, the king told them, "Look around you, brothers and sisters. Open your eyes! Look at what they have done to our kingdom! How much longer will we allow these savages free reign in our world? I have seen the Horde's world. I have been inside their cities. Inside their minds... I know what evil lies in the hearts of orcs."

 _Not all orcs are evil..._ Jestana mused as she picked up her bow to check that it was still in good condition. She remembered the fight in front of Angrathar, how the Horde and Alliance soldiers had fought alongside each other against a common enemy. _If only..._

She froze in the midst of checking her gear when a voice that could only be Thrall's echoed through the Undercity: "Mog Osh'kazil gul'rok il mog Ro'th zaga maza TOV'OSH."

"THRALL! HERE?" A fierce expression appeared on the king's face as he turned to address the rest of them. "ONWARD! We end this now!"

Lady Proudmoore remained where she was as they trooped out of the room, sounding distressed as she told them, "Varian, stop! I won't help you do this!"

"You should all know, the orcs have a battle cry: LOK'TAR OGAR! It means _victory or death_. Fitting..." As the king talked, Jestana reached down and stroked Amarisa's fur as the wolf trotted along beside her, heart sinking. "To the throne room!" They entered to find Thrall there with Sylvanas and Kor'kron soldiers beside him. Nearby stood Orsinago, his bow out and ready, Firestorm at his side. Brown eyes met glowing green across the room, and then she looked away as Varian addressed Thrall: "I was away for too long. My absence cost us the lives of some of our greatest heroes. Trash like you and this evil witch were allowed to roam free -- unchecked. The time has come to make things right. To disband your treacherous kingdom of murderers and thieves. Putress was the first strike. Many more will come. I've waited a long time for this, Thrall. For every time I was thrown into one of your damned arenas... for every time I killed a green-skinned aberration like you... I could only think of one thing. What our world could be without you and your twisted Horde... It ends now, Warchief. ATTACK! FOR STORMWIND! FOR BOLVAR! FOR THE ALLIANCE!"

The soldiers attacked and Jestana joined them, careful to aim for Horde soldiers nowhere near her friend. Though she couldn't avoid fighting, she refused to aim to kill Orsinago unless she had no other choice. Even standing back as she was, Jestana didn't see Jaina enter the room until the noblewoman yelled, "VARIAN, NO! STOP!"

The next moment, she found herself encased in a block of ice then teleported back to Stormwind. Once the freeze spell was lifted, Jestana fell to her knees, her heart still pounding like a drum in her chest. She startled for a moment when she felt Amarisa snuggle into her arms, and then gladly buried her face in the wolf's fur. _I hope Orsi's all right..._

"Hunter Ivers?" A guard's voice distracted her and she looked up at him inquiringly. "The king would like to speak with you."

"Yes, of course." She got to her feet and brushed herself off before approaching the throne where the king waited, still covered in gore and ichor from his numerous fights. Kneeling, she asked, "You wished to speak with me, your Majesty?"

He nodded, accepting a cloth from a servant and cleaning his sword. "Yes, Hunter. For too long have the Horde been left unchecked. We allowed their territories to prosper and in return for our generosity they plotted and planned our demise." He finished cleaning his sword and sheathed it. Only then did he begin wiping at his armor. "Peace? Useless... it's gotten us nowhere. We have lost some of our greatest heroes to peace. Let us see what battle brings." He pointed at her with the stained cloth. "Return to Northrend, Jestana. Conquer it for your king - FOR THE ALLIANCE!"

"As my king commands," she replied, bowing her head for a moment. Getting to her feet, she backed out of the throne room and left the keep. Going to the inn where she was staying for the moment, she barely took time to remove her armor before flopping onto the bed and crying herself to sleep. _I don't want to keep doing this, but Eva's out there..._

* * *

"Tomorrow brings with it uncertainty. Gone are the days of Alliance and Horde battling alongside each other in pursuit of a common enemy. A new battle dawns, Orsinago - a battle which there can be no victor," Thrall told the sin'dorei hunter once the former had finished speaking with Saurfang the Elder, looking both determined and sad. "But we must continue our march towards Icecrown. We have no choice in that matter. Our salvation lies with heroes like you, hunter. The future of the Horde - of the world - depends on you. Let us return to Orgrimmar. You must return to Northrend at once."

Bowing respectfully, Orsinago told him, "I'm sorry, Warchief, but it's been many years since I last saw Silvermoon. I miss it too much to return to Orgrimmar, let alone Northrend."

"Very well." The orc warrior-shaman nodded after giving the hunter a searching look. "You may return to Silvermoon City and I hope you will answer the call if a hunter of your skill is needed."

He bowed respectfully once more. "I plan to, sir."

"Go with honor." Thrall gestured and the hunter withdrew.

When Firestorm licked his hand, he pet the lynx absently, focused more on getting out of the Undercity and back to Silvermoon City. The Orb of Translocation sent him instantly to his home city. Barely acknowledging the regent council, he headed straight to a bar, not even bothering to find lodgings to dump his gear. Sitting down in a booth with Firestorm by his feet, he proceeded to drink himself into a stupor. When he woke up in an unfamiliar room, the familiar face in the chair by the bed was all that kept him from panicking. "Morning, Orsi."

"'Lo, Guildie," he groaned the greeting, pulling the pillow over his head to block out the light from the sun.

Priestess Guildenkranz Suntouched tugged the pillow out of his grasp, patently ignoring his theatrical groan as the sun seemed to stab into his head. "We may not have seen each other for some years, but I remember that you're not the sort to drink heavily. You like keeping your wits about you."

"Ugh, turn off the sun." Orsinago rolled onto his side so his back was to the window, ignoring the question implicit in her statement.

He gasped in surprise when the bed seemed to drop out from beneath him and squirmed around to glare at his former lover. She responded before he could make his demand, "I won't let you down until you promise to tell me why you drank so much."

"Has anyone told you that you're pushy?" he commented, wriggling futilely to get down. All it accomplished was to make his stomach protest.

When he gulped and clapped a hand over his mouth, Guildenkranz calmly picked up the wastebasket and handed it to him. He seized it and promptly emptied the contents of his stomach into the container. Once he stopped retching, she answered his question as if there'd been no delay. "Yes, they have, and I take it as a compliment."

"Fine, fine, I'll tell you," he grumbled, giving up his efforts to get down. Looking around the room, he noticed there was something missing. "Where's Stormy?"

The dark-haired sin'dorei woman cancelled the levitation spell and he dropped to the bed. "Out hunting his breakfast.

"Good for him." His stomach twisted at the thought of eating and he curled into a ball.

His friend poked him with her staff. "You said you'd tell me, Orsi, now tell."

"Pushy priestess," he grumbled as he carefully sat up, leaning back against the headboard. Smirking, she made a show of settling into her chair. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair, sure it was a mess from going to bed without washing out the goop he used to style it. "Did you hear about what happened in the Undercity?"

Guildenkranz nodded, a frown creasing her forehead. "There was a coup, wasn't there? Lady Sylvanas barely survived."

"Yes, there was, and the Warchief took soldiers there yesterday to take it back and I went with him," he explained as Firestorm entered the room, still licking his whiskers. "We managed to kill Varimathras and were just about to go after Putress when King Varian arrived to confront us with his own soldiers and Jes."

Her frown deepened as Guildenkranz leaned forward in her chair. "Jes? Who--your human friend Jes? The one you couldn't stop talking about when I went back to Outland?"

"Yes, that Jes," Orsinago replied, absently stroking Firestorm's fur. "I didn't want to shoot her. We're still friends, after all."

Arching a dark eyebrow, the priestess suggested, "It might not have been the same for her. You two hadn't seen each other for years, after all."

"Technically, it'd only been a few weeks since we last saw each other," he admitted with a wry smile, remembering how frustrating it'd been to have Jestana in his arms at last, but unable to do anything about it except sleep.

"Oh? Did you two run into each other in Northrend or something?" She looked skeptical, folding her arms across her ample--for a sin'dorei woman--bosom. "Maybe in Dalaran?"

He laughed dryly, amused at how close she was to the truth. "Close. We actually ran into each other in Dragonblight. We even both watched what happened at Angrathar. I worried so much about whether she was with the soldiers under Lord Fordragon and it was such a relief when I realized she hadn't been."

"I don't believe it!" Guildenkranz literally threw her hands up in the air.

The redhead stared at her in puzzlement. "I'm sorry?"

"You're still in love with her even after all these years," she explained, sitting back in her chair once again.

"No, I--wait, _still_?" He stared at her, shocked by what her statement implied.

She nodded, looking far too smug for his taste. "Yes, _still_."

"If I was in love with Jes, how could _we_ have become lovers again?" he demanded, stroking Firestorm as the lynx washed himself with long swipes of his rough tongue.

The priestess gave him an exasperated look. " _Please_ , Orsi. You of all people should know that you don't _have_ to be in love with someone to have sex with them. Neither do you necessarily have sex with someone you love."

"That doesn't mean I love Jes," the hunter retorted, digging his fingers into the lynx's golden ruff. "We're just friends."

Dark eyebrows arched disbelievingly as Guildenkranz ticked facts off on her fingers. "The whole time we spent together after I returned, you worked her into every conversation: her opinion on subjects, the fact that she was learning Thalassian, how she could fight hand-to-hand thanks to her paladin sister, what foods and drinks she liked, what she taught you about training Firestorm simply from watching her work with Amarisa--" Firestorm paused in his bath to look around, ears pricked up hopefully "--see, even Stormy has a special fondness for them."

"Enough." He waved a hand to stop her, rubbing the feline's ears apologetically when he reluctantly resumed his bath. "You never said anything before."

His former lover shrugged as red-gold lynx kitten padded into the room and jumped up into her lap. Stroking it so it purred up a storm, she told him: "There wasn't any point. You told me she'd returned to Azeroth and you clearly weren't going to go after her, so..." She ended with a shrug.

"I suppose you have a suggestion for what I should do." Orsinago watched as Firestorm noticed the kitten and shifted so he could stretch his neck across the gap between the bed and the chair to sniff the kitten.

The kitten sat up to sniff Firestorm in return and licked his nose. "I think you should contact her and find out how _she_ feels about _you_."

"You can't be serious." He stared at her in shock once again. How could she keep surprising him like this?

Guildenkranz set the kitten on the bed beside Firestorm and the adult lynx promptly began washing the kitten, who grumbled, but submitted nevertheless. "I'm quite serious, Orsi. Your feelings for her clearly haven't faded and you should tell her about them."

"She hasn't indicated in the slightest that _she's_ interested in _me_ ," he pointed out to her, trying to remember if he'd told her about Jestana's drunken pass at him.

Giving an unladlylike snort, the priestess shook her head. "You told me she made a pass at you once. Granted, she was drunk, but I doubt it was _just_ the alcohol that made her do it."

"I hoped I hadn't told you that." The hunter groaned and covered his face with his hands. "She hasn't said anything sober, though."

She gave a wry chuckle. "With your record, why would she? I knew what we had wouldn't be serious. I hadn't wanted serious either time. Just someone to share my bed and I was happy. From the sound of it, though, Jestana probably figured friendship with you was the better option because she would have wanted more from a relationship than you'd have been willing to give."

"That doesn't mean she's still interested," he pointed out as the kitten yawned and curled up next to Firestorm.

Shaking her head in fond exasperation, she told him, "So write to her and find out."

"This isn't the sort of conversation you have via letters," Orsinago reminded her, watching as his feline companion curled up around the kitten and drifted off to sleep as well.

Guildenkranz poked him with her staff again. "Write to her to arrange a meeting so you can ask, dummy. You knew very well that's what I meant."

"Slight problem, though: I'm sin'dorei, she's human," he mock-glared at her, rubbing his ribs where she'd poked him.

She folded her arms across her chest again. "Do I have to spell out everything for you? Or don't you remember places such as Booty Bay, Everlook, Gadgetzan, Ratchet, or Dalaran?"

"You've made your point, but what about--" he stopped short when she thrust her staff at him again, stopping short of his face.

Her eyes narrowed with real anger in their glowing green depths as she slowly lowered her staff. "It could just be me, but it sounds like you're looking for excuses _not_ to talk to her. Maybe you don't love her as much as I first thought."

"What?!" Orsinago sat up straight, wincing a little when his head protested the sudden move. Next to him, Firestorm lifted his head, ears pricking up and swiveling. "Of course I love her!"

Still angry, Guildenkranz tilted her head. "Why do you keep coming up with excuses _not_ to talk to her, _not_ to find out how _she_ feels?"

"I--" he faltered, dropping his gaze to Firestorm, who looked up at him as if to ask the same question. He squeezed his eyes shut as he thought of Jestana, of her happiness to see him that night in Dragonblight, of the way she'd barely let him dismount Vermillion before hugging him tight at Angrathar, of the blank, shuttered look on her face when King Varian had confronted Thrall in the Undercity. Slowly, he opened his eyes and lifted his head to look at Guildenkranz. His voice soft, he told her, "I'm afraid, Guildie."

Whatever she saw on his face banished her anger and her own voice was soft as she asked, "What are you afraid of, Orsi?"

"I'm afraid of losing her completely," he explained, slowly stroking Firestorm's fur when the feline rested his chin on the hunter's knee. "If I ask her, it may spoil what friendship we have. Or, even if her feelings are the same as mine, I may lose her if it fails."

After a long silence, Guildenkranz sighed deeply. "I think the question you need to ask yourself is rather simple: is the happiness you could have in a romantic relationship with her worth the risk of losing her friendship?"

"I'll have to think about it," Orsinago admitted, still stroking Firestorm's fur.

His friend sighed deeply. "Just don't take too long to decide, otherwise you may find out that she's made her own decision in that regard and found someone else."

"Sunwell, I hope not." He scrubbed his face with the heels of his palms.

"Then make up your mind fast." Guildenkranz told him gently yet firmly.

They sat in silence for a few moments before there was a knock on the door. Guildenkranz's face grew pale as it opened to admit a young man with red-brown hair and lightly tanned skin. "Mother, have you seen--"

He stopped short when he spotted Orsinago on the bed, Firestorm and the kitten curled up together. Orsinago gave a little wave in greeting. "Hello." Then he glanced at his friend, eyebrows raised. "Mother?"

"Orsinago Daystar, I'd like you to meet our son, Seboath Suntouched," Guildenkranz made the introductions as Seboath leaned one shoulder against the doorjamb in a deceptively casual pose.

He stared at the two of them in utter shock. Both Guildenkranz and Seboath looked tense as they waited for Orsinago's reaction. Finally, he found his voice. "You're sure, Guildie?"

She nodded, twisting her hands together in her lap. "I'm sure, Orsi. You were the only person I'd slept with when I realized I was pregnant with Seb."

"You didn't tell me you were pregnant." Orsinago raised his eyebrows, realizing now why Guildenkranz had left Outland the first time. "Why?"

"At the time, all you wanted was sex," Guildenkranz reminded him, an emotion in her eyes that he couldn't read. "A baby was more involvement than you wanted. So, I just came back here to have Seb and raise him."

Orsinago rolled his eyes as a thought occurred to him. "I bet Dan _loved_ that." He glanced at Seboath, who'd remained quiet and inscrutable. For the first time that he could remember, Orsinago found himself at a loss for words. He had a son and had no idea what to do about it.

Straightening up, Seboath smiled slightly, "Uncle Dan came around eventually. Mostly because Mom is stubborn."

"Among other things, yes." Orsinago laughed wryly.

Guildenkranz raised an eyebrow, a wry smile on her lips. "Do I _want_ to know what those other things are?"

"Maybe?" Orsinago grinned back at her.

Seboath loudly cleared his throat. "Should I leave you two alone?"

"Don't go." Orsinago sat up too quickly and clutched his head when it protested the move.

The next moment, he felt the familiar warmth of healing Light wash over him, taking away the last of his hangover. Guildenkranz sighed heavily. "It was just a hangover, Seb."

"You're a priest?" Orsinago asked, peering at Seboath curiously. He wore a plain linen shirt, and brown pants tucked into a pair of boots. Nothing to hint at whether he'd followed in his mother's footsteps or his uncle's.

His son shook his head. "No, paladin."

"I see." He glanced at Guildenkranz, who smiled proudly. "Please stay, Seboath. I'd like to get to know you."

Seboath gave him a hard look. "Are _you_ going to stay? You're not going to go waltzing off to war again?"

"No." Orisnago flinched at the thought of going back to Northrend and possibly having to fight Jestana all over again. "I plan to stay in Silvermoon for the time being."

Guildenkranz reached up and squeezed their son's hand. "He means it, Seb."

"Fine, it can't hurt." Seboath entered and slumped onto the foot of the bed. He held his hand out to Firestorm, who sniffed it carefully, and then bumped it with his head. Laughing a little, Seboath slowly stroked the red, gold, and white fur. He looked closer and grinned. " _That's_ where Blaze went, the little rascal."

Orsinago watched as Seboath scooped up the kitten and cuddled it close to his chest. "You like animals, Seboath?"

"I _love_ them," Seboath replied, gently stroking the downy fur. "And call me Seb."

He smiled and wished he could ask Seboath to call him 'Dad' or 'Father', but they'd only just met. "Call me Orsi or Uncle Orsi if you like."

Both Seboath and Guildenkranz looked at him in surprise. A small smile slowly appeared on Seboath's face. "I'd be glad to, Orsi."

* * *

"Dammit, Jes, don't die on me, or I'll bring you back and kill you myself." Evalynna's voice seemed to come from far away. "You're the only family I have left."

Slowly, Jestana opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a hospital room, her sister seated in a chair beside her bed. Her voice hoarse, she told the younger woman, "That...really doesn't make sense."

"You're awake!" Evalynna's head snapped up, a hopeful smile lighting her face. "Thank the Light! I was starting to worry."

She managed a small smile. "Takes more than a measly wound to keep me down." Then she licked her lips. "Water?"

"Sure, it's right here." The paladin picked up a glass and held it to the huntress' lips.

Jestana sipped the liquid slowly, savoring the way it relieved the dryness of her mouth. When she finished, Evalynna set the glass on the table. Looking around, she noticed a particular presence missing. "Where's Ama?"

"I'm sorry, Jes, but she's dead," the younger sister shared the news in a low voice, understanding very well how badly the loss would hurt the older sister.

The huntress stared at her sister for a long moment, feeling as if a giant fist had reached into her chest and squeezed her heart until it stopped beating. Softly, she murmured, "Damn everything to the void!"

"Jes!" Evalynna scolded her sister, brown eyes betraying her shocked surprise to hear such a strong epithet come from Jestana. Normally, the elder of the two was so good-natured and laid back that very little upset her. "Surely the loss of Amarisa, while very sad, isn't worth such a strong curse."

She sighed and scrubbed her face with her hands. "No, it's not, but it's not _just_ losing Ama, but losing her on top of other things that have been bothering me."

"Such as whatever happened at the Battle for the Undercity?" the paladin asked pointedly, both eyebrows raised to emphasize her point.

Glaring, she pulled the blankets up to her shoulders and rolled onto her side so her back was to the other woman. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you bloody well do," Evalynna growled and tugged on the blankets to roll her sister onto her back again. "Whatever happened there changed you. Even Ama was different. So what was it?"

Jestana tried to pull the blankets back, but her sister wouldn't let go. "It was a battle. I had to kill people. End of the fucking story."

"You've killed people before and it never bothered you." Evalynna gazed sternly at her sister. "There was something different about the Battle for the Undercity and you're going to tell me what it was."

Huffing, she let go of the blankets and simply curled onto her side. "No."

"Dammit, Jes!" The paladin pounded a fist on the bed. The soft give of the mattress didn't seem to satisfy her, because she then pounded her fist on the bedside table. "Would it _kill_ you to confide in me? I might as well have no family left at the rate you're going!"

Before Jestana could respond, a sin'dorei priestess strode into the room, her expression stern. "If you can't keep your temper, Paladin Ivers, you'll have to leave."

"I'm sorry, Priestess Suntouched," Evalynna answered quickly, looking contrite.

The woman looked from one sister to the other, glowing green eyes intent on the huntress. "You are Jestana Ivers?"

"Yes, I am." She nodded, glancing quickly at her sister, who shrugged. Something about the name was familiar. "Why do you ask?"

In reply, the sin'dorei offered her hand to the human. "I'm Guildenkranz Suntouched. Orsi's told me quite a bit about you."

"You know Orsi? Wait, he mentioned you before, when I knew him in Outland." Jestana sat up and shook the other woman's hand, unaware of the way her face lit up at the mention of her friend.

The priestess nodded her dark head, looking amused. "I do, indeed, and I'm a little surprised to hear that he'd mentioned me."

"Do you know where he is right now? Is he all right?" She unconsciously held tight to the slender hand in hers, desperate for news about the other hunter.

With some tugging, Guildenkranz freed her hand. "He's fine. He's been in Silvermoon since the Battle for the Undercity."

"Oh, good." Jestana breathed out a relieved sigh, glad that he was still alive. "I couldn't help worr--" she stopped short and bit her lip. "It's nothing. Thank you for telling me, Priestess."

The sin'dorei eyed her thoughtfully. "You're welcome, Huntress." She turned to Evalynna. "Try to control your temper, Paladin."

"Yes, Priestess." The younger sister waited until the priestess left before addressing her elder sister. "I've figured it out. Orsinago was at the Battle for the Undercity and that's why you've changed since then."

Laying back, Jestana stared up at the ceiling, realizing there was no point to denying it now. "If not for Lady Proudmoore, I might've been forced to kill him. I don't know if I could have lived with myself if I had to."

"Well, she _did_ interfere and if the way you asked after him is any indication, your love for him is as strong as it ever was," Evalynna sounded fondly exasperated. She'd never exactly disapproved of her sister's attachment to Orsinago, but she didn't quite understand it.

She blinked back tears, wishing she had Amarisa with her so she could cuddle with the wolf. Her canine companion had always seemed to understand. "It is and I can't do anything about it."

"I think you can, actually." The paladin was sitting back in her chair, arms folded across her chest. "You can contact him and ask to talk with him and find out once and for all what he feels for you."

The huntress shook her head, wiping away the tears that still managed to leak down her cheeks. "No. I already _know_ what he feels for me: friendship."

"I'm not so sure about that." Shifting to sit on the bed beside her sister, Evalynna gently pulled her into a hug. "I think he stayed in Silvermoon City for the same reason you were changed after the Battle for the Undercity."

Jestana shook her head again, even as she clung to her sister. "Don't be silly. Maybe he was just sick of fighting all the time and wanted a break."

"Believe what you will, but I hope he proves you wrong some day."

She didn't say anything, but her thoughts were whirling. _I hope you're right, Eva, but I doubt it..._

* * *

Even as he cheered and clapped for Thrall and Aggralan, Orsinago wondered how much longer he could keep standing. His right ankle and wrist were both screaming with pain. As everyone began drifting towards the inn, Jestana, who'd stayed near him even after their return from the fire realm, took his hand and led him to a bench outside the inn. He sat down with a sigh of relief, only to stare in surprise when his friend knelt at his feet. "What are you doing?"

"Taking your boot off," she answered matter-of-factly as she tugged at the article in question. "You've been favoring your foot since Deepholm."

He nodded, wincing as she continued to tug. When it finally came free, he groaned, half in pain, half at the colorful bruise circling his ankle. "Oh, damn. That misstep hurt, but I didn't realize how badly."

"You're lucky your boot kept it from swelling," the huntress remarked as she produced a familiar kit from her backpack and pulled out a roll of bandages.

The hunter grimaced as she wrapped a bandage tightly around his ankle to keep the swelling down and stabilize the joint. "I'm also lucky I just twisted it, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to _walk_ , let alone run."

"A good point." Brown eyes glinted briefly with humor as she finished wrapping his ankle.

Shifting to sit beside him on the bench, she removed his right glove and bracer, both of which were scorched through. "Why did _I_ get hurt and _you_ didn't?"

"Oh, I got hurt, too." Jestana didn't look up from applying a salve to the burn he'd received.

Orsinago frowned and studied her carefully as she wrapped another bandage around his wrist. The way she moved her hands was different from what he remembered and he had a feeling he knew why. "You hurt your left shoulder, didn't you?"

"Yes." Her cheeks turned red and she returned the unused bandages and salve to the kit. "I wrenched it while we were in Uldum."

Frowning, he removed his other glove and bracer then picked up her left hand to remove hers. "How did you manage _that_?"

"You know how the air elementals could pick you up, and then drop you?" the human's voice was low as she asked the question.

The sin'dorei nodded, reaching across her for her right hand to remove that glove and bracer as well. "Yeah, I thought I was going to lose Stormy at once point because of it."

"Well, you almost lost _me_ that way," she admitted quietly, carefully removing her chestguard. The blue shirt underneath was sleeveless, giving him a good view of her swollen and bruised shoulder. "I _just_ managed to grab the edge of the platform, but wrenched my shoulder in the process."

He carefully probed the swollen flesh with his fingers, hiding the way his heart froze for a moment at the thought that he'd almost lost her. "Are you _sure_ you just wrenched it?"

"Yeah." The redhead nodded, sounding confused. "You don't agree?"

He shook his head, very aware of how soft her skin was under his fingers despite her injury. "I think you actually managed to dislocate it."

"Are you sure?" Her breath caught when he pressed against a particularly tender spot. Part of him wondered if she'd make a similar sound when in the throes of pleasure.

Orsinago glanced up at her through his eyelashes. Her face had paled and she was biting her lower lip. "Yeah, I'm sure. I can put it back, but it's going to hurt."

"Do it. All the healers are busy at the moment." There was an undercurrent of paint in her words, but she sounded as stubborn as ever.

He nodded and, placing his hands on her arm and shoulder correctly, _pressed_. Jestana cried out at the sudden pain, but he could see her expression relaxing as the moment passed. "There you go. You'll have to keep it immobile until a healer can tend to it."

"Thanks, Orsi." She held still as he reached across her for the first aid kit. He took the opportunity to breath in the scent of springtime and fresh rain that always seemed to cling to her.

Straightening up and pulling out the bandages, he began wrapping them around her shoulder. "Thank _you_ , Jes."

"For what?" When he finished, he returned the bandages to the kit, which she took from him to put back in her pack.

He shrugged, folding his hands together in his lap. "Just for being you."

"That's rather broad," she mused, pulling a sizeable piece of cloth from her backpack.

Orsinago watched as she tied two opposite corners together. Looping it over her head, she rested her left arm in the improvised sling. He looked away before he could be caught staring and noticed that Firestorm and Jestana's panther had curled up in a patch of sunlight on the grass and now slept. Remembering how dear Amarisa had been to his friend, he asked softly, "What happened to Ama?"

"She died when we killed the Lich King," the huntress replied in a low voice edged with grief. "I understand now why it was so difficult for you to find the right pet after you lost Jafar."

The hunter smiled sadly, cautiously wrapping an arm around her shoulders to awkwardly hug her. "I'm sorry you lost Ama."

"Eva sort of understood, since she'd watched Ama grow up with us, but not fully." His friend leaned against him carefully. After a moment, he felt her begin to shake with suppressed sobs.

Shifting, he turned so he could hug her properly, rubbing her back soothingly. For hunters, losing a pet was as painful as losing a child so he wasn't surprised when Jestana cried even harder, clinging to him with her free arm. "It's all right. Let yourself grieve for her. You'll feel better once you have. I promise."

"Is everything all right here, Hunter Daystar?" Aggralan asked the question as she and Thrall approached several minutes later, hand in hand. Both orcs were looking at Jestana with concern in their eyes.

Jestana quickly straightened up, wiping away the last of her tears and Orsinago tried not to feel bereft as he let his arms fall to his sides. It'd been nice to hold her. "I'm fine. My emotions just got the better of me for a bit."

"Perhaps it would help if we did this," the orc woman suggested, concentrating for a moment. There was a splash of water magic around the human woman's shoulder and she smiled shyly as she carefully removed her sling.

Orsinago was too busy watching Jestana carefully rotate her arm to test its range of motion to notice that Thrall was concentrating as well, until he felt the cool tingle of shamanic healing magic around his wrist and ankle. Looking at the former warchief, he offered a grateful smile. "Thank you, sir."

"Thank _you_ , Hunter Daystar," the shaman replied as the hunter carefully tested his range of motion for his ankle. "And you, Hunter Ivers. Aggra told me that both of you helped her."

Jestana smiled as she carefully pulled her chestguard back on. "I was glad to help, Shaman. Especially considering it was you we were saving."

"Your face is familiar," Thrall commented, frowning a little as he studied the human hunter. "It's been several years, but weren't you at the Battle for the Undercity?"

She nodded, the smile disappearing from her face. Recognizing that the memory of the battle distressed her, the sin'dorei gently took her hand in his. After a moment, slender fingers threaded through his. "I was, Sir."

"Why help Aggra, then?" The green-skinned orc didn't look angry, only puzzled.

Jestana unconsciously sat up straight as she replied, her grip on Orsinago's hand tightening a little as she spoke in a calm and steady voice. "I've seen enough in my travels through Azeroth and Outland to make my own judgments about others and I've never felt the same all-consuming hatred for orcs that many others feel." She glanced at the orc woman. "And I know how it feels to be faced with the loss of someone dear to me."

"That makes two of us, Jes," Orsinago interjected then, remembering the empathy he'd felt for Aggralan when she'd asked for anyone to help her. He'd had only to think of Jestana in Thrall's place to understand what she must be feeling and quickly volunteered to help, followed almost immediately by the huntress.

Apparently his comment surprised her, because she turned to him with a question in her brown eyes. "What do you mean, Orsi?"

"I didn't volunteer _just_ because it was Thrall in danger." He glanced at the orc shaman, who simply smiled and gently drew his mate away. Turning his attention back to the human, he continued, "I volunteered also because I empathized with Aggra's worry and desperation. There's someone I care for just as much as she cares for Thrall."

Jestana remained quiet for several moments, staring up at him. He gazed back her, trying not to hold his breath. Finally, she asked, "Do you mean Guildenkranz Suntouched?"

"Guildie? Sunwell, no, and how do you know her anyway?" Orsinago frowned, wondering if his friend had been wrong.

The huntress shrugged, turning to stare at their view of the mountain. "I met her briefly after we killed the Lich King. I was hurt and she tended to me a bit while I recovered in Dalaran. I remembered you talking about her and she told me that you'd been in Silvermoon."

"Guildie's just a friend. I was thinking of someone else when I referred to someone dear to me." The hunter hid a smile as he looked out at the view as well. _Pushy priestess indeed. I bet I know why she went to Northrend even though she hates the cold..._

Jestana tugged her hand free of his and clasped it with the other in her lap, "Who were you thinking of, then? Eru or Ela?"

Shaking his head in fond exasperation, Orsinago gave up on words. Gently grasping the human by her shoulders, he turned her towards him and kissed her. She remained unmoving for several moments before she melted against him, her arms sliding around his waist. Only when his lungs demanded oxygen did he lift his head. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him in a sort of daze. "Does that answer your question?"

"Only if it means that I'm not just another notch on your belt," she replied, her expression wary, though she didn't pull away from him.

He smiled and kissed her forehead softly. "Those days are gone. I love you, Jestana Ivers, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I love you, too, Orsinago Daystar." She smiled shyly up at him. "I would like nothing better than to spend the rest of my life with you."

Too delighted to speak, he kissed her again and she responded eagerly. Before they could get carried away, a familiar voice interrupted them: "It's about bloody time!"

"Hi, Eva." Jestana and Orsinago turned to find the human paladin nearby, a grin on her face as she leaned against a convenient tree trunk. "How long have you been there?"

Straightening up, Evalynna stepped forward to lean down and hug her sister and, after a brief hesitation, hugged Orsinago as well. "Long enough to see that kiss."

"So you didn't hear what we said?" Jestana pressed further, glancing quickly at him.

Arching an auburn eyebrow curiously, the paladin glanced at him as well. "No. Should I have?"

"We've declared ourselves lifemates," he explained when it became clear his mate's voice had failed her completely.

Evalynna remained quiet for several minutes, looking from one to the other. Finally she smiled. "As long as you're happy, Jes, then I'm happy for you both." Her expression turned fierce when she addressed him. "If you do anything to hurt my big sister, I _will_ find you and kill you, slowly and _very_ painfully. Then I'll rez you and do it all over again."

"I quite understand." He managed not to flinch when she brandished her sword for emphasis.

Jestana gave an exasperated sigh and pushed her sister's sword away. "Are you done threatening my mate, Eva?"

"For now." The paladin slid her sword into its sheath on her back. The hard look disappeared and she smiled as she embraced her sister once again. "I'm happy for you, Jes, truly."

The huntress returned the hug with a smile of her own. "Thank you, Eva."

"Take care of my big sister, Orsi," she ordered him as she embraced him as well.

He returned the embrace with a fond smile. "As much as she'll let me."

"Good answer." Jestana slipped an arm around his waist as they watched Evalynna leave.

Still smiling, Orsinago wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. They still had things they needed to talk about, but those could wait for a bit. For now, it was enough to sit there with the woman he loved and know she loved him in return.


	2. Reactions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family and friends react to the news about Jestana and Orsinago. Not everyone approves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After posting the tidbit with Seboath's reaction to Jaina, I realized I hadn't posted my other WoW fics here that explained his and Artemia's relationships to Orsinago and Jestana. So here are a couple scenes just showing reactions to the news.

Walking with Atheniana through the Darkmoon Faire, Artemia felt naked without her bow or sword at her side. Out of respect for the fact that the Faire was meant to be free of conflicts between the Horde and Alliance they'd left their weapons in their room at the Lion's Pride Inn in Goldshire before taking the portal to Darkmoon Island. Trying to ignore her discomfort, the worgen huntress took in the booths and people around them. For the most part, members of each faction formed their own cliques, talking and laughing amongst themselves. As they passed a group of Forsaken and Blood Elves, both huntress and warrior stiffened, hands reaching for absent weapons. Even Rolf, Artemia's mastiff, growled in his throat at the Forsaken. None of them would easily forget that it was thanks to the Forsaken that they had to leave Gilneas. As they continued onward, the dog suddenly stopped in his tracks, sniffing the air. "Rolf? What do you smell, boy?"

"Maybe he scents something unusual," Atheniana suggested, shifting forms to sniff the air as well. She growled suddenly. "I smell blood."

Following her lover's example, Artemia shifted forms and sniffed as well. The scent of blood was thick and cloying, but under that, she detected another scent: "Jes?"

"What?" The warrior frowned and sniffed again. "You're right."

Worried, the huntress reached down and tapped the mastiff's flank. "Find her, Rolf."

"Why would we be smelling blood here on Darkmoon Island?" Atheniana voiced what both of them were wondering as they followed the canine away from the tents that lined the main path.

Artemia shrugged. "Maybe she fell and hurt herself."

"Maybe." It was clear from her tone of voice that the taller worgen didn't really believe that idea.

As the scent grew stronger, they moved faster until they reached an escarpment. At the foot of the steep slope lay the human huntress, unconscious, with a Blood Elf man bending over her prone form. Rolf barked furiously, drawing his attention, and Artemia yelled down at him: "Hey! Get away from my sister!"

"You're not Eva." The stranger spoke surprisingly good, though accented, Common, the flash of relief on his face giving way to disappointment. "You must be Temmi, then."

Next to her, Atheniana snarled, "Get away from her, Blood Elf!"

"Jes is badly hurt," the man retorted, showing no signs of budging. "Can you heal her?"

Artemia quickly rested a hand on her lover's shoulder. "Wait, he might be a friend."

"How can he be a friend? He's a Blood Elf!" The warrior glared down at him.

Digging through her pack, the huntress found a length of rope. "And Jes told me she befriended a few Blood Elves while she was in Outland. He might be one of them."

"I'm not her friend," he called up as she set about tying the rope to a rocky outcropping. The two worgens exchanged startled looks that he'd heard what they said. While Atheniana's gave way to vindication, Artemia's gave way to worry. "I'm her mate."

The huntress began to carefully climb down. "Her mate? Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," he responded with complete confidence. "We only declared ourselves mates a few months ago, so Jes probably hasn't had a chance to tell you yet."

Before she could formulate a reply, her foot slipped and she started to fall. "Temmi!"

"I've got you!" A different voice, speaking Common with the same accent as the Blood Elf man, accompanied a sudden slowing of her descent.

She came to a stop floating just above the ground beside the man claiming to be Jestana's mate. Looking up, she saw a Blood Elf woman with shoulder-length black hair and dark--for a Blood Elf--skin peering over the edge of the escarpment at them. "Thanks!"

"You're welcome!" The woman waved, and then turned to address Atheniana. "Do you want me to help you, too, or would you prefer to climb down under your own power?"

Without a word, the warrior began to climb down. Next to the huntress, the man called, "Get your pushy priestess self down here, Guildie! Jes is hurt!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" the priestess called back, sounding exasperated, yet worried.

Within moments, she'd floated down and cancelled the spell on both herself and Artemia. Her expression serious, she knelt beside the human huntress, a golden glow surrounding her hands as she held them over Artemia's twin. Atheniana moved to her lover's side, glaring suspiciously at the Blood Elf woman. "Why are you letting her, Temmi? She's a--"

"Priestess, first and foremost," the man interrupted with a frown as a red-gold lynx came up beside him and nudged his hand. Stroking the gold ruff, he continued in a calmer tone. "I understand your concern, but Guildenkranz doesn't care about faction boundaries any more than Jes or I do."

She didn't look up from her patient as she added, "Not to mention that I healed her once already."

"Jes told me you two met briefly in Dalaran." A teasing glint appeared in his eyes as he smiled. "Pushy priestess."

Guildenkranz spread her fingers as she concentrated for several moments. When she relaxed, she turned to him with a playful smile, "It helped, didn't it?"

"Yes, and I'm glad for it." He offered his hand to her and she accepted it, letting him pull her to her feet. "Will Jes be all right?"

The priestess nodded as she brushed dirt and grass from her robe. "She'll be fine, but I'm afraid she lost the baby."

"The...baby?" he repeated, his face growing paler, if that was possible.

She nodded, frowning in concern. "You didn't know she was pregnant?"

"Orsi?" Jestana's weak voice distracted all of them and he quickly fell to his knees beside her. "Obs found you?"

He nodded, gathering her into his arms and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Yes, she did. I swear my heart stopped when I saw you down here."

"Takes more than a measly fall to keep me down," she whispered, sliding her arms around him.

'Orsi' choked out a laugh, shifting one hand to rest over her stomach. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Wasn't sure," Jestana replied, covering his hand with hers and threading their fingers together. "Kept meaning to ask one of the druids or shamans to check, but kept forgetting."

Slowly kneeling beside them, Artemia light touched her sister's arm. "Jes?"

"Temmi." The elder twin's eyes flew open and a smile curved her lips. "I'd like you to meet my mate, Orsinago Daystar. Orsi, this is my twin, Artemia."

The hunters exchanged rueful smiles. "We got that covered, but your mate didn't actually provide a name."

"Neither did you," he pointed out with a smirk.

She laughed softly. "Point taken."

"How did you fall, Jes?" His expression turned abruptly serious as he asked what all of them were wondering. "It's not like you at all."

The human frowned as she considered the question. "I...don't know. I was just leaving the outhouse when someone hit me on the back of my head, and then I blacked out.

"It was an attack?" he asked, shock quickly giving way to anger. "By whom?"

Jestana shook her head. "I don't know. I didn't see them."

"Maybe someone who doesn't like the idea of a human and a Blood Elf being mates?" Atheniana growled the suggestion from where she still stood beside the rope.

Wincing as she sat up, the human huntress glared at the worgen warrior. "He's a sin'dorei."

"He's still a Blood Elf," the black-furred worgen retorted, snarling the last two words.

Getting up, Artemia approached, growling so the others wouldn't understand: _He's my sister's mate, so he's family now._

 _He's Horde,_ she shot back. _They shouldn't be mates at all._

She bared her teeth in a fierce snarl. _There are people who'd say **we** shouldn't be lovers._

 _That's different._ Atheniana sniffed and eyed the others over Artemia's shoulder distrustfully.

She looked at the others as well. They were whispering amongst themselves in a language she couldn't understand; presumably the Blood Elf--sin'dorei--language. Turning back to her lover, she poked a finger at her breastbone. _Just because the Forsaken are part of the Horde doesn't mean we should automatically hate everyone else connected to the Horde._

 _How do we know he's not just using her to gather information?_ Atheniana pushed her hand away.

Artemia folded her arms across her chest, glaring. _Jes wouldn't be with him if he was._

 _He could be fooling her._ The warrior propped her hands on her hips.

The huntress sighed deeply, wondering why her lover was being so difficult. _She accepted us, why can't you accept them?_

 _You know why._ Turning, the other worgen climbed up the rope to the top of the escarpment.

When she reached the top, Atheniana pulled the rope up after her. Artemia snatched at the end, but was too late. "Thena!"

"Goodbye, Temmi." With that, the warrior turned and walked away.

Her head drooping, Artemia rejoined the others. "I'm sorry, Temmi."

"It's not your fault," she told her twin, dropping heavily to her knees beside the human.

She looked up in surprise when Orsinago rested his hand on her shoulder. "It's because of me, isn't it?"

"She doesn't trust anyone from the Horde," the worgen huntress explained reluctantly.

Guildenkranz studied her thoughtfully. "So why are you still here?"

"Jes is my twin. She and Eva are the only family I have left," she answered quietly, taking her sister's hand in both of hers. "I just want them to be happy." She looked up to give him a hard look, baring her teeth. "If you do anything to harm her, I will hunt you down and skin you alive."

Orsinago was visibly unsettled. "Noted and understood." He glanced down at his mate. "The threat is a lot more unsettling when it's accompanied by such sharp teeth."

"I said much the same to Atheniana when Temmi first told me they were together." Jestana smiled weakly, and then looked at her twin. "Speaking of her, do I need to follow through on my threat, Temmi?"

After a moment's consideration, the worgen shook her head. "No, Jes. It was bound to happen eventually. As much as we care about each other, there are some differences that can't be overcome."

"Are you sure?" Jestana squeezed her sister's hand gently.

Artemia nodded. "I'm sure."

"All right."

* * *

Salandria was glad for the cool shadows of the woods as she rode through Mount Hyjal. Her plate armor might be strong, but it wasn't very cool. She lifted her head when she heard the sound of running water up ahead. _Perfect! I could use a drink and so could my horse..._ Rubbing her charger's neck soothingly, she urged it to continue down the path until she finally reached a bridge that arched across a lake. She brought her horse to a stop and stared at the sight before her: a sin'dorei man and human woman were waist-deep in the water, splashing each other and laughing. Nudging her horse closer, her mouth dropped open. "Orsinago Daystar! So this is where you got yourself to!"

"What?" Startled, the redheaded sin'dorei turned in the water, and stumbled, only for the human to catch him and steady him. Flashing her a smile, he turned and struck out for Salandria's side of the lake, frowning. Finally, when he stood dripping on the bank, a smile lit his face. "Salandria! Sunwell, it's been a long time! You're all grown up now!"

Smiling, she scrambled down from her horse to hug him. "I'm sorry I didn't write more often. Once I returned to Silvermoon to start my training, I didn't get much time to myself."

"That's all right," he assured her, looking her up and down with a proud smile. "Especially since you obviously finished your training in fine form."

The human woman appeared at his side then, looking at Salandria with curiosity in her brown eyes. "Orsi, who's your friend? A former lover like Guildie?"

"Sunwell, no!" He grinned wryly when he caught sight of Salandria's rueful smile. "You know your shaman friend? I did the same with Salandria here."

The woman seemed to relax at that and offered her hand to Salandria. "I see. I'm sorry you lost your parents, Salandria. I lost mine, too, but I was much older at the time."

"Thank you." She glanced at Orsinago and he nodded encouragingly. A little hesitantly, she shook the woman's hand. "You know my name, but I don't know yours."

Orsinago broke in then, wrapping an arm around the human's shoulders. "This is Jestana Ivers. She's my mate."

"Your mate?" She stared at them in shock, and then shook her head in denial. "No, no, no, you can't be mates." Salandria turned to him. "You were supposed to marry me!"

A slender hand covered Jestana's mouth, but a giggle still escaped. When the others looked at her, she explained. "It seems your charms work on the very young, too, Orsi."

"It's not funny." Glaring, Salandria drew her mace and leveled it at Jestana. "You're human. You shouldn't even be mated to him!"

Brown eyes narrowed into a glare. "I love Orsi, Salandria. That's what matters."

"Put your mace away, Sala." Orsinago's smile had disappeared and he rested a hand on her arm, not attempting to push it away, but she could feel the tension in his arm.

She glared from one to the other, struggling with the betrayal she felt that he'd found someone else at all, let alone a human, and the knowledge that he didn't love her the way she'd hoped he would now that she was grown up. Before she could decide what to do, another voice called from the woods. "Put your weapon down, paladin! That's an order!"

"Who or what gives you the authority to order me around?" Salandria demanded of the blue-skinned draenei shaman who approached, mace and axe blazing with power in her hands.

The shaman came to a stop beside them, glowing eyes still narrowed as she took in the tableau before her. "The Cenarion Circle and the Earthen Ring are the ultimate authority here in Hyjal, paladin."

"It's all right, Dornaa. Salandria was just about to lower her weapon," Jestana told the draenei, never taking her eyes off the paladin.

She turned to the draenei in shock, completely forgetting her anger and punctured vanity, as the name registered. "Dornaa?"

"Salandria?" The draenei was just as shocked as Salandria.

The next moment, they were hugging tightly, mail and plate armor clashing, as joy quickly overcame shock. "Oh, Sunwell, I hoped you were all right. Mercy never told me what happened to you."

"She didn't tell me about you, either," Dornaa babbled, smiling brightly as she stepped back to look her childhood friend over more fully. "Just said that I was going to the Exodar to train with Farseer Nobundo to be a shaman."

Salandia took the chance to return the favor. Dornaa had grown into a beautiful, shapely woman, wearing her armor and weapons with confidence. "And I went to Silvermoon to train with Lady Liadrin to be a paladin."

"I take it you two know each other?" Orsinago cut in dryly before they could continue their conversation.

Two big cats approached just then, each carrying a bundle of clothes. Orsinago took the bundle the red and gold lynx carried while Jestana took the bundle from the black panther. Dornaa explained, obviously at ease with him. "Yes, we met at the orphanage in Shattrath and became friends. I was sad to leave Sala behind when I had to leave for training, but I knew it was the right thing to do for me."

"I wish we'd had a chance to say good-bye," Salandria admitted as Orsinago and Jestana finished drying themselves off and pulled shirts and pants on over their bathing suits. "Dornaa had been my best friend."

Orsinago frowned slightly as he draped his towel over his shoulder, Jestana crouching down to whisper to the panther, who'd been gazing very intently at Salandria. "What about H'chu or whatever her name was? The girl from the Sporegarr?"

"We were all friends," Dornaa explained for Salandria as Jestana straightened up, leaning into her mate's warmth when his arm went around her shoulders once again. "I think she's still there with her people."

Salandria nodded, finally reaching up to replace her mace on her back. "Yes, she is, and very happy with her people, still."

"I'm glad to hear it." Dornaa smiled warmly, sliding her own weapons into place on her belt. 

Orsinago looked at Jestana then, who glanced at Salandria, and then nodded. Smiling, he turned to the paladin. "You're still my little sister, Sala. You're welcome to come visit for a bit so you and Dornaa can catch up."

"Even after I threatened Jestana?" she asked, cheeks flushing as she looked at the human. Her anger was gone now, and she felt ashamed that she'd given in to it in the first place.

She nodded, a gentle smile curving her lips. "Despite that. I understand falling in love with him, Salandria. I did, after all." Her expression turned serious. "We've taken a risk telling you about us. There are many in both the Horde and Alliance who would kill us without a second thought, simply for being friends, let alone mates."

"You can trust me," Salandria assured them, watching as he kissed her temple, a soft expression on his face that made her heart ache a little. She'd hoped for so long that she'd be the one to put that look on his face, but someone else had beaten her to it.

Orsinago smiled and reached out with his other arm to pull her into a hug. She returned it a little hesitantly, breathing in the scent of woodsmoke and autumn that she'd come to associate with him all those years ago. "Thank you, Sala."

Together, the four of them headed to the home Orsinago and Jestana had made for themselves in Mount Hyjal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Salandria and Dornaa are a blood elf girl and draenei girl that Horde and Alliance players can escort during Children's Week. Obviously, it's the same kid every year, but that's just for the purposes of the game.


	3. Two to Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guildenkranz learns about Orsinago and Jestana. She's of two minds about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first two scenes actually take place before the previous chapter. The rest takes place after it.
> 
> 9/7/2017: I revised when Seb was born and made some changes to the first chapter and this one to account for it.

"Why did he have to choose a place out in the middle of nowhere?" Seboath asked his mother as the two of them approached the small cabin that Orsinago had apparently chosen as his new place of residence.

Guildenkranz smiled wryly. "He's a hunter, Seb. He'll always be more comfortable in nature rather than the city."

"Wish he'd picked somewhere a little closer, though," he muttered as they reached the cabin, dismounted, and tethered their horse and hawkstrider to the hitching post by the door.

If his mother heard, she didn't indicate, walking to the front door and knocking on the wooden panel. A human woman answered it, auburn hair pulled back in a ponytail and brown eyes widening a little when she saw who was on the other side of the door. In accented Thalassian, she said: "Priestess Suntouched, this is a surprise."

"Guildenkranz, please, Huntress Ivers," Guildenkranz replied, her voice calm, but Seboath could see her hands shaking a little when she clasped them behind her back. "I'm not here in a professional capacity, but as Orsi's friend."

Glancing between mother and son, Jestana silently stepped aside. "Won't you come in? And please call me Jestana."

"Thank you." Her voice quiet, Guildenkranz preceded Seboath into the cottage. "Is Orsi here?"

Jestana closed the door behind them and gestured with one hand. Following the gesture, Seboath saw his father standing in the archway, a smile on his face. "Guildie! Seb! I didn't expect to see you so soon."

"Hello, Orsi." Stepping forward, Guildenkranz hugged her friend.

Once she stepped back, Seboath stepped forward to share a backslapping hug with his father. "Hello, Dad."

"Dad?" Jestana repeated the word, surprise obvious on her face. Then she looked more carefully between father and son, and then at Guildenkranz. Turning to the hunter, she asked, "An 'old friend', hmm?"

Seboath heard the quiet intake of breath from his mother and casually stepped back to take her hand, squeezing it comfortingly. Orsinago smiled sheepishly. "I was trying to tell you I love you, Jes. That's not the best time to mention previous lovers."

"Or any children, apparently," Jestana commented, glancing at Guildenkranz and Seboath with a wry smile.

Guildenkranz found her voice then, though it was low. "You finally got up the courage to tell her, Orsi?"

"I did, Guildie, and we're now mates," Orsinago slid his arm around Jestana's shoulders and kissed her softly.

Guildenkranz managed to smile. "I'm very happy for you both. I wish you many happy years together. Excuse me."

"Are you all right, Guildie?" Orsinago watched with concern as she quickly exited the cottage. Seboath stifled a sigh. She was going to have a minor emotional breakdown in private, then compose herself, and pretend it'd never happened. His father turned to him. "Is she sick, Seb?"

Seboath shook his head, wishing he could tell Orsinago the truth, but his mother had forbidden him to say anything to Orsinago about her feelings for him. "No, Dad, she's just had something on her mind during the trip here."

"Do you think she'll be up to staying with us for a few days?" Orsinago looked hopeful as he asked. "I haven't seen you two in awhile now."

The paladin shrugged. "I can't speak for Mom, but I'll stay." He glanced at Jestana out of the corner of his eye. There was a thoughtful look on her face and he wondered if she saw what his father missed.

"Great! Thanks, Seb!" Grinning, Orsinago clapped him on his shoulder. "Look at you, wearing plate now."

Jestana stepped forward and stretched up to kiss his cheek. "I look forward to getting to know you, Seboath."

"Seb, please, since we're family," he requested with a faint smile.

She smiled back, patting his shoulder. "Then call me Jes or Aunt Jes if you like."

"Thanks. I'll go get Mom now." He turned to the door.

Jestana caught his arm before he could open it. "I'll go get her. You visit with your father."

Before he could protest, she'd slipped out the door. Seboath turned to Orsinago with raised eyebrows. "Is she always like that?"

"Family is important to her," Orsinago explained, gesturing to the sitting room. "And to me."

Smiling, Seboath entered the sitting room ahead of his father. He _had_ missed him.

* * *

Jestana found Guildenkranz sitting on the bank of the pond near the cottage, knees drawn up to her chest and her face buried in her arms, slender shoulders shaking. Approaching on silent feet, Jestana carefully sat down beside Guildenkranz. "You're in love with Orsi, aren't you?"

"What does it matter if I am or not?" Guildenkranz asked, voice muffled. She lifted her head to look at Jestana, tear tracks on her cheeks. "He was in love with you before I even met him."

Hesitantly, she rested a hand on Guildenkranz's back, feeling her ribcage expand with each deep breath. "Just answer my question, please."

"Yes, I love him, but I won't try to come between you two." Guildenkranz wiped at her face with her hands. "He kept talking about you, even after we'd become lovers, and he chose to stay in Silvermoon after the battle for the Undercity because you'd been there, too, and he might have been forced to shoot at you."

Jestana smiled faintly. The part about Silvermoon she already knew because Orsinago had told her himself. "I have a feeling he also stayed there to spend time with Seb."

"Well, yes, there was that, too." Guildenkranz managed a faint smile. "He didn't even _know_ about Seb until then. I didn't keep the news from him intentionally, but it's not something you can share in a letter and I couldn't just _travel_ to where he was, not with Seb to think about."

She patted Guildenkranz's back, smiling reassuringly. "I understand. Orsi would like you and Seb to stay with us for a couple days so he can catch up with you."

"I'd be glad to stay, but--" the priestess' voice faltered as tears glittered in her eyes.

Jestana squeezed her shoulder comfortingly. "I understand. You need some time. You're always welcome to visit us."

"Thanks." Guildenkranz offered a watery smile.

Squeezing her shoulder, Jestana got up and went back inside.

* * *

When she emerged from the bedroom, Guildenkranz wasn't surprised to find Orsinago pacing nervously in the sitting room, Firestorm at his side. He stopped short when he saw her, his face anxious. "Well, how is she?"

"She's fine, but tired," Guildenkranz assured him with a smile, glancing over his shoulder at Seboath, who had a bemused smile on his face.

Orsinago reached down to thread his fingers through Firestorm's golden ruff. "Thank the Sunwell. May we see them?"

"Of course. They're waiting for you." She'd barely stepped aside before Orsinago and Firestorm hurried past her into the bedroom.

Seboath joined his mother in the doorway as Jestana looked up at Orsinago with a tired smile. "Hi, Orsi."

"Hi, Jes." He sat down beside her and kissed her softly.

Firestorm greeted Obsidiana with a purr and a gentle headbutt. "We have six kittens, thanks to Guildie."

"Six?" Orsinago repeated, looking at the black, red, and gold bundles of fur nestled against the panther's side. Then he ruffled Firestorm's fur with a grin. "You old rascal, Stormy."

Jestana laughed and leaned into her mate's warmth, one hand resting over her stomach. Quietly, Guildenkranz told her: "Tell him, Jes, or I'll tell him for you."

"Tell me what?" Orsinago looked curiously between the two women.

Mock-glaring at Guildenkranz, Jestana took his hand and placed it on her stomach. "I'm pregnant, too, Orsi. Again."

"You are?" He gazed her incredulously, and then looked at Guildenkranz. "You confirmed it?"

She nodded, grateful when she felt Seboath take her hand in one of his. "You're going to be a father."

"Again," Seboath added with a grin that made all of them laugh.

His smile turning tender, Orsinago reached up and ran the fingers of his free hand through Jestana's auburn hair. "I'm looking forward to it already."

"I'm a little scared." Jestana admitted, leaning into him, twining her fingers with his. "What if I'm no good as a mother?"

He kissed her forehead. "You'll be fine and I'm sure Guildie would be willing to share the wisdom she's gained from raising Seb."

"Sure, volunteer me, Orsi. I don't mind." Guildenkranz wasn't sure how she kept her voice steady, but she was glad she managed it.

He grinned back at her. "C'mon, you know you'd be willing to offer advice."

"Maybe." She gave a toss of her head. "If you'll excuse me, I'm a little tired."

The others nodded. "Thank you, Guildie."

"You're welcome, Jes, Orsi." Nodding to each of them, she retreated to the guest room. She was grateful Seb left her alone. _As happy as I am for them, it still stings a little to see it..._

* * *

Jestana waited until Orsinago and Seboath left to fish up something for dinner before going to the guest room. Rapping lightly on the door with her knuckles, she called: "Guildie? It's Jes. May I come in?"

"If you like," Guildenkranz called back, her voice muffled by the door.

Turning the knob, she stepped in to find Guildenkranz seated at the desk, an elegant writing case open beside her. She was writing in a notebook with a pen that obviously came from the case beside her. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Guildenkranz didn't look up from her work.

Shaking her head, Jestana perched on the bed near the desk. A quick glance around took note of Guildenkranz's bag on the dresser, a smaller one beside it that likely contained what she needed as a healer. The bed was neatly made with a plush dragonhawk resting on the pillow. Guildenkranz's hat hung off the bedpost while her staff leaned against the bed. Turning her attention back to her guest, Jestana smiled sheepishly when she saw that the other woman was watching her. "Sorry, I don't mean to be nosy."

"I don't mind." Guildenkranz shifted her chair around to face Jestana. "What brings you to see me?"

She arched her eyebrows with a faint smile. "I need a reason?"

"No, but you seem to have one." Guildenkranz offered a reassuring smile.

Jestana smiled sheepishly. Now that it came to it, she wasn't sure how to bring it up. After a moment's thought, she asked, "If not for me, would you have married Orsi?"

"Unless you're planning on dying or leaving him, I don't see the point in asking." Not surprisingly, Guildenkranz's expression was shuttered now, with no hint as to what she was feeling.

She leaned forward on the bed, determined to have this conversation. "Please, Guildie, just humor me for a minute."

"Fine." Sighing, Guildenkranz nodded. "Yes, I would have gladly married Orsi if he'd asked and hadn't been pining for you."

Jestana nodded in return: just as she'd thought. "Do you remember my sister?"

"Which one? You have two." Guildenkranz eyed her curiously, probably wondering what it had to do with whether or not she'd marry Orsinago.

Jestana laughed. Guildenkranz had briefly met both Evalynna and Artemia, though not at the same time. "I'm referring to Eva."

"The paladin, right," Guildenkranz nodded. "Yes, I do remember her. She got you upset while you were still recovering in Dalaran."

Jestana offered another sheepish smile. "I got her mad at me in the first place."

"Why are you bringing her up?" Guildenkranz looked impatient.

Rubbing the back of her neck as she organized her thoughts, Jestana explained, "She has a kaldorei druid mate named Indilwen." She ignored the anger that flashed briefly in the other woman's eyes. There would always be some friction between the sin'dorei and kaldorei. At least Orsinago and Indilwen managed to restrict themselves to playful teasing and arguing. "About a year ago, Eva was badly hurt while we were fighting the snakes in Stranglethorn. Badly enough to need a healer."

"I remember that occasion. I was summoned from Silvermoon to Stranglethorn to help deal with the casualties." Guildenkranz's voice was quiet as she remembered that time. "Not all of the victims were physically hurt. Some were wounded psychologically."

Jestana nodded. She remembered some of the people she'd helped during that time. "Luckily, Eva was only hurt physically. One of the Healers who took care of her was a worgen druid named Rudyard. Apparently, my baby sister has a...thing...for druids, because she was attracted to him, even though she was quite happy with Indi. In the end, she told Indi about her attraction to Rudy and the long and short of it is that they are now happy together, all three of them."

"That's lovely for them, but why are you telling me this?" Guildenkranz was silent for a long moment before her eyes widened as realization dawned. "No, you can't be serious!"

Jestana nodded, leaning towards the woman she'd come to consider a friend. "I'm quite serious, Guildie. We both love Orsi and he loves both of us. Why not?"

" _We_ don't love each other," Guildenkranz pointed out, both eyebrows arched. "Unless there's something you've neglected to tell me?"

Jestana shook her head this time. "It's not love, but I certainly find you attractive." She gazed at her friend intently. "Orsi's not completely happy with just me or just you, Guildie. It stands to reason that he _would_ be with both of us."

"Are you sure about this, Jes?" There was guarded hope in the glowing green eyes. "Could you _really_ share your mate with another woman?"

She nodded this time. "I'm certain. I've been thinking about it ever since Eva visited with Indi and Rudy."

"Well, _I_ haven't. Let me do some thinking of my own." Guildenkranz sat back in her chair, eyes shuttered once more.

Jestana smiled and stood up. "I expected as much. Just please don't take too long. I don't like seeing Orsi unhappy."

"That makes two of us." The other woman stood up and they left the guest room together.

The next moment, the front door opened to admit father and son, both carrying strings of caught fish. It was almost time for dinner.

* * *

"Are you really sure about this?"

"Absolutely. What about you? Are _you_ sure?"

"As sure as I can be. Do you think he'll agree?"

"Only one way to know for sure."

Orsinago only half-heard the conversation as he gently brushed Firestorm's fur. Though the feline cleaned himself regularly, these grooming periods were for them to help strengthen their bond. He looked up at a touch on his shoulder. Jestana and Guildenkranz stood over him, the former looking calm and composed while the latter looked nervous, yet determined. "Hello, Ladies. What can I do for you?"

"We had an idea we wanted to run by you," Jestana told him as he brushed Firestorm one last time before tapping his side with the brush.

Making a rumbling sound in his chest that was his version of a purr, the lynx got up and padded off in search of Obsidiana. "What idea would that be?"

Dropping to her knees beside him, brown eyes serious, Jestana said, "I know you haven't been completely happy lately."

His eyes widened and Orsinago quickly grasped her shoulders. "What are you talking about? I'm perfectly happy with you, Jes."

She shook her auburn head. "No, you're not, Orsi. At first you were, but now the only times you've been completely happy have been when Guildie visits."

"Guildie?" He stared at his mate, and then watched as Guildenkranz gracefully knelt beside Jestana. "What are you talking about?"

After a moment, Guildenkranz leaned forward and pressed her lips against his in a light kiss. "I love you, Orsi. I have for a long time."

"We both love you, Orsi," Jestana added while he could only stare, dumbfounded. "And you love both of us."

It took him a few moments to gather his scattered thoughts. "What about you two? Don't think I didn't notice that there was no mention of love between you."

"Told you he'd bring it up," Guildenkranz told Jestana with a grin.

The human rolled her eyes. "I don't remember denying it."

"Ladies." He held up his hands. "You haven't answered my question."

The priestess answered first, her expression rueful. "I spent _years_ hating Jes because the memory of her was always there, the whole time we were lovers and even later." She held up a hand when Orsinago opened his mouth to reply. "Let me finish." He nodded and closed his mouth. "Then I met her in Northrend and saw for myself that she was a good woman and loved you just as much as _you_ loved _her_ and knew I couldn't hate her anymore. Now, though, having gotten to know her, I'm pleased to call her friend."

"And I'm glad to count Guildie as a friend, too," the huntress added, taking Guildenkranz's hand in hers and squeezing gently. After it was returned, Jestana looked at Orsinago. "We don't love each other, Orsi, not the way we love you, but we care for each other and we've decided that's enough for us."

He raised his eyebrows at that, folding his arms across his chest. "Don't I get a say?"

"Of course you do." Jestana leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

Guildenkranz did likewise on his other side. "But we haven't provided our closing argument yet."

With that, they both kissed him. At the same time. Orsinago had never experienced one before and wondered why he hadn't. It was wonderful and so delicious. Jestana pulled back first, allowing him and Guildenkranz to share a warm, hungry kiss that expressed all the desire and hunger they'd both held back since they'd reunited all that time ago. By the time they parted to catch their breath, Orsinago's arousal was straining his pants. He moaned when a slender hand lightly squeezed him through the material. "I'd say this makes his 'say' pretty clear, don't you agree, Guildie?"

"Oh, certainly, Jes." Guildenkranz's voice was husky with arousal. "Hey, where are you going?"

Orsinago opened his eyes and caught Jestana's hand as she tried to stand up. "Stay."

"I thought you two would like to have time alone first?" Jestana looked from one to the other in surprise, though he saw the glint of hope in her brown eyes.

Guildenkranz grabbed her other hand and they tugged her down to join them. "We can have our alone time later. _This_ time is for all of us." He looked from one to the other seriously, ignoring the urge to get them all naked as soon as possible. There was something he needed to make clear first. "Neither of you comes first in my affections. I love both of you equally. I know you two haven't known each other long and I hope that, in time, you will come to love each other just as much as I do you both. The same goes for children. None will come first in my affections."

"Of course, Orsi." Guildenkranz smiled and nestled against him, one knee brushing against him through his pants.

He swallowed as the sensation made his thoughts derail. He groaned when Jestana echoed the move, right down to the brush against his cock. _They're doing that deliberately._ "That's exactly how we want it, anyway."

None of them did much talking after that, eventually migrating to the bedroom to properly consummate their decision. They all fell asleep with smiles on their faces.

* * *

A few months later, Orsinago and Guildenkranz were married in a proper sin'dorei wedding ceremony. Both of their families were present, including a young woman who simply introduced herself as "Saerwen, a friend of the bride and groom," and toyed with the pendant around her neck almost the whole time. Given that Seboath remained glued to her side almost the whole time, most of the guests assumed the two were a couple and left it at that. None of them noticed that she slipped away from the reception shortly after the bride and groom did and few even remembered her afterwards. That was just fine with 'Saerwen': the only people who _did_ remember her were the ones who mattered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Jes/Orsi has always been at the back of my mind. Then I created Guildie to level her with my brother and sister and she snuck into Jes and Orsi's story. Then I created Seb because I wanted to play a blood elf paladin and he told me he was Orsi and Guildie's son. Rather than pick between Jes and Guildie, Orsi said 'both', so here we are. I've created their other kids, too. For Jes and Orsi's, I had to pick between human or blood elf, but all of them are actually mixes of the two races.


	4. Finding Peace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being a family in a world caught up in conflict after conflict isn't easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this written for awhile, but sat on it because I wanted to add more to it. I finally decided to go ahead and post what I have written.

"Jes! There you are!" Artemia's voice caused Jestana to smile weakly in relief as her sisters caught her in a group hug.

She returned the hug with her left arm, cradling her right against her stomach. "Hi, Temmi. Hi, Eva. I'm glad you're both all right."

"Of course we are." Evalynna frowned as she stepped back. "What about you?"

Jestana gave a one-shouldered shrug. "I'm fine. One of the Horde archers got me, that's all."

"That's _all_?" Artemia looked at her twin incredulously as Evalynna gently probed around the arrow shaft that was still in the wound, sealing it for the moment. "You're _hurt_ , Jes."

Evalynna shook her head at the worgen. "You didn't see her after we killed the Lich King. She was unconscious for several days afterwards as she recovered."

"And Ama never did recover." Jestana closed her eyes briefly in remembrance of the wolf who'd been her constant companion up until then.

She smiled and looked down when something nudged her hand, emerald eyes gazing up at her from a black face. Obsidiana purred as she stroked the sleek black head. Evalynna spoke the next moment, her voice brisk and no-nonsense "Temmi, I need you to pull the arrow out as quickly as you can, and then I'll heal the wound."

"Shouldn't a healer do that?" Artemia asked, even as she took hold of the shaft of the arrow.

Jestana shook her head. "They're busy with the more seriously injured. This is minor and Eva can easily deal with it herself."

"Exactly." The two humans exchanged resigned smiles.

Artemia looked from one to the other and sighed. "I'm guessing this isn't the first time Eva's had to patch you up?"

"Or herself," Jestana added with a grimace. Those times had been the worst because the Light always seemed to work slower when Evalynna was healing herself.

The paladin gestured for quiet. "Ready?"

"Ready." The grimace Artemia gave as she prepared to pull out the arrow displayed an impressive number of sharp teeth.

Jestana nodded, steeling herself for the pain. "Ready."

"Go!" At Evalynna's order, Artemia yanked the arrow from Jestana's shoulder. She cried out as pain seared through her shoulder, but healing Light was already pouring into the wound, healing it and soothing away the pain.

She released a long sigh once the pain was only a memory. "Thanks, Eva."

"Don't get shot next time." Stooping, Evalynna picked up the arrow that Artemia had dropped and pressed it into Jestana's hand. "You're lucky he missed anything vital."

The worgen huntress watched the paladin walk away, frowning. "What's that about?"

"Nothing." The human huntress reached down and stroked Obsidiana's head. "Let's go see if there's anything else we can do to help."

She started to walk away, but Artemia caught her good arm. Jestana stopped and turned to face her twin, eyebrows raised inquiringly. "There's something you're not telling me, Jes. What is it?"

Sighing, she reached into a pouch on her belt and withdrew the shaft of the arrow that had been lodged in her shoulder. "Smell."

"Why?" Artemia looked at the shaft suspiciously. Jestana said nothing, simply holding it out. Rolling her eyes, the worgen did as her sister asked and started back in surprise once it registered. " _Orsi_ shot you?"

Jestana nodded and carefully stowed both halves of the arrow in her belt pouch. "And _I_ shot _him_."

Her sister's incredulous look was almost comical. " _Why_?"

"Because we love each other."

* * *

"Hold _still_ , Orsi!" Guildenkranz glared at her husband.

Strong arms locked around Orsinago from behind, holding him in place. "Go ahead, Mother."

"Thank you, Seb." Nodding to their son, Guildenkranz turned her attention to the wound in Orsinago's left shoulder.

The hunter tried to squirm out of his son's grip, but the paladin held fast. "Let me go, Seb!"

"Not until Mother's finished." Seboath didn't ease his hold at all.

She barely looked up from her work. "Don't worry, I'll leave a scar."

"You and Aunt Jes have the _weirdest_ way of showing that you love each other." Seboath's tone was conversational. "You can't just avoid shooting each other, oh, no. You have to shoot at practically point-blank range."

He glared over his shoulder at Seboath, but it didn't faze the younger sin'dorei in the slightest. "Why don't you say it a little louder? I don't think Garrosh heard you."

"There's no one around to hear us, Orsi," Guildenkranz retorted, glowing eyes briefly flicking up from her work to look at him. "Relax."

As the hunter did just that, his son asked, sounding puzzled, "Why _do_ you do it?"

"To keep each other safe," Orsinago explained as Guildenkranz held up a small metallic object.

When he held up his hand, she dropped the distorted bullet onto his palm. As the priestess proceeded to heal the wound, she added, "They wound each other enough to require attention from a healer and, thus, remove each other from the front lines and out of immediate danger."

"You can't just _not_ fight?" Seboath asked, releasing Orsinago now, but watching intently as Guildenkranz worked.

He shook his head while keeping his arm still, tucking the bullet into a belt pouch. "You know what Garrosh is like. We're better off coming here than staying in Kalimdor or the Eastern Kingdoms right now."

"I don't know what the situation is like for the Alliance." She sighed softly as the Light around the wound faded, leaving a small, puckered scar. "I imagine Jes is here because of her sister."

Seboath laughed wryly. "Which one?"

"Probably both." Orsinago carefully rotated his arm, the pain from the wound fading rapidly. "Excellent work, as always, Guildie."

She smiled and slipped her arms around his waist as she kissed him. "Thanks, Orsi."

"If you two are going to get lovey-dovey on me, I'll go see what I can do for the wounded." Seboath sounded like he was trying for disgusted but only managed fond.

Once he was gone, Orsinago sighed deeply and pressed his forehead to Guildenkranz's. "I miss her, Guildie."

"Me, too, Orsi." She brushed her nose against his. "This means she's safe for now. These pandaren don't seem to care which side we're on. Maybe we can use that to our advantage."

He nodded, his arms tightening around her. "Sunwell, I hope so."

"As do I."

* * *

"Your Highness! It's good to see that you made it safely." Koro Mistwalker greeted the human prince warmly as they entered the refuge camp.

Guildenkranz exchanged amused glances with her husband and son. Somehow, she wasn't surprised that Prince Anduin had managed to befriend the natives. The prince in question responded to the greeting with a wry smile. "I did, my friend, in better shape than you, it looks like."

"It's nothing, just an arrow to the knee." Koro tried to dismiss the injury, but he didn't quite stifle a hiss of pain when he put his weight on his knee as he tried to move to one of the huts.

Seboath stepped forward first, helping the pandaren to the hut. "Will you let me take care of it now that we're here?"

"It needs to be seen to before the arrow does irreparable harm to your knee," she added, her attention on her son and Koro for the moment.

The monk nodded and sat down, obvious relief on his face as he finally took his weight off the injured joint. "Very well, since you both insist."

"Thank you." Seboath knelt beside Koro, examining the arrow without removing it just yet. "Mother, if you could pull the arrow out, I'll start healing once the arrowhead is clear of the wound."

Guildenkranz nodded and knelt opposite the paladin. "Ready when you are."

"Now." She tugged the arrow free and Light surrounded the knee the next moment, healing the damage.

As she sat back on her heels, she turned at the sound of Orsinago's voice, "Stormy? What is it?"

The red-gold lynx, instead of sitting at the hunter's side as he'd been commanded, stood at attention, ears pricked forward as he stared at the path that entered the refuge near where Prince Anduin knelt. The next moment, three human women appeared, each of them carrying a sack. Two of the women had guns slung on their backs with an animal trotting alongside them (a black panther and a mastiff). The third had a sword on her back, the air of calm and serenity around her reminding Guildenkranz of Seboath. The huntress with the panther at her side addressed the prince before the three women caught sight of the Sin'dorei. "We brought as many heads as we could, Your Highness."

"Anything will be more than welcome, Huntress Ivers," Anduin replied as Firestorm gave a soft yowl that drew the others' attention.

The panther yowled back and, completely ignoring the human woman's cry of "Obs!" rushed forward to pounce on the lynx.

As the two felines play-wrestled, the other huntress, dropping her bag next to the prince, transformed into a fearsome worgen and leveled her gun at the Sin'dorei, practically snarling her words: "Don't even _think_ of trying to capture the prince."

"Peace, Huntress Ivers." Anduin gestured for her to lower her weapon as he accepted the bag the human paladin handed to him. "They escorted Koro here from the temple. I doubt they mean me any harm."

The huntress looked doubtful, but allowed the paladin to push her gun down. Koro spoke up from where Seboath still tended to him. "Whatever your conflict with the ain'dorei may be, huntress, there is no place for it here."

"The prince is correct." Guildenkranz snuck glances at Orsinago and the human huntress and stifled a sigh. If the two felines hadn't given them away, their own faces did! They were staring at each other as if they were the feast after the famine. "We mean him no harm. You have nothing to fear from us."

Seboath offered his own opinion, having apparently finished his work on Koro's knee. "We _do_ have much to fear from the saurok, however. They killed several of the trainees on our way here before we could kill them."

"Perhaps a few people should try to thin their numbers?" Koro suggested as Guildenkranz checked his knee, pleased with the results of her son's handiwork.

Satisfied, she sat back on her heels again and told him, "Orsi and I will go take care of them for you."

"We will?" Orsinago sounded bemused as he finally contributed to the conversation. She turned and gave him a Look. "Oh! Yes, we will."

Seboath snickered and Guildenkranz ignored him. The other huntress quickly offered, "I'll go with you, if you won't mind my company."

"Jes--" the worgen turned to the human with concern written all over her wolfish visage.

The paladin stopped her as 'Jes' walked over to stand beside Orsinago. "Hush, Temmi. Jes can take care of herself."

"She'll be safe with us, Huntress," Orsinago added as he helped Guildenkranz to her feet.

'Temmi' sighed, but said nothing more. 'Jes' turned to them. "Shall we?"

They exited the camp along a completely different path. Almost the moment they were out of sight of the others, Jestana threw herself at Orsinago, their armor clashing. Neither seemed to care, as they were too busy kissing each other. Guildenkranz chuckled and simply waited patiently as they kissed. Just when she began to wonder if they'd pass out before they let each other go, they parted. Jestana barely caught her breath before she turned and kissed Guildenkranz. The priestess moaned as she responded to the kiss, holding the huntress close. Paradoxically, the time apart had strengthened her feelings for the human. _I suppose the phrase 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' **does** have some truth to it!_

By the time they pulled back from the kiss, she felt distinctly light-headed. Jestana looked sheepishly from one to the other. "By the Light, I've missed you both."

"We've missed you, too," Orsinago assured her as they continued on in their chosen direction.

When she opened her mouth to protest, Guildenkranz added, " _Both_ of us, Jes. It hasn't been the same without you and Raunien around."

"Where is our son, by the way?" Orsinago asked, looking concerned, not that Guildenkranz blamed him. She'd missed the boy dearly since she and Orsinago had obeyed Garrosh's summons to Pandaria.

Before Jestana could answer, a band of sauroks attacked and the three of them were too busy fighting them to talk. Once the three lay dead, the two hunters checked their pets, praising Firestorm and Obsidiana. Guildenkranz checked the other two for injuries, finding only superficial scratches. Once those had been tended to, she checked herself and found no injuries, her Power Word: Shield spell having done its work perfectly. As they continued, Jestana finally answered Orsinago's question: "He's still in Hyjal, under Dornaa's care. I think Salandria planned to visit her for a time."

"That's good." He smiled, looking relieved.

Guildenkranz nodded, looping an arm through Jestana's. "We have a question for you, Jes. Something we've been considering."

"Oh?" She looked from one to the other, brown eyes curious. "What is it?"

Firestorm and Obsidiana chose that moment to attack a bush from opposite sides, surprising a saurok that had been hiding there. It was dispatched with little trouble. As he checked his bow, Orsinago told her, "We thought it might be a good idea to move here from Hyjal. It's beautiful there, don't get me wrong--"

"But even among the druids and shamans there, some of them don't really approve of us, and not because we're a triad," Guildenkranz picked up the explanation when Orsinago faltered. "They don't approve because we're sin'dorei and you're human."

Jestana stared at them in shocked surprise. Then it changed to fury. "They think you're mind-controlling me into being with you two, don't they?"

"Well, yes, that's one of the rumors going around." Orsinago sounded apologetic, wrapping an arm around Jestana's shoulders.

She leaned into him with a growl of annoyance that would have done her twin credit. "I'm with you two of my own free will. Everyone else can butt out."

"That's why we're considering moving here," the priestess told her earnestly. "The pandaren won't care because they don't care about whose Alliance or Horde. They just care if we can help clean up the mess we've made with our mere presence here."

Before they could discuss the subject further, a large group of sauroks descended on them. Standing in a tight triangle formation, they fought the lizard-like creatures off. Guildenkranz cast every spell she could think of, including healing spells whenever she sensed that Jestana or Orsinago's health was dropping low. By the time the last saurok lay dead, she was panting for breath, her reserves of mana too low for even a simple spell. "Jes! Guildie! Can you help her?"

"What?" Turning, her heart jumped into her throat. Jestana lay unconscious on the ground, Obsidiana nudging at the huntress' outstretched arm. "Oh, Sunwell, no!" She looked at Orsinago. "I'm sorry, I don't have enough mana for the spells she needs."

Orsinago set his jaw. "We'll just get her back to camp as quickly as we can. Hopefully Seb's still there, or Eva."

She just nodded and helped him scoop the human woman into his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. Together, they hurried back to the camp. Seboath was nowhere to be seen when they finally reached it, but Evalynna and Artemia were both still there, helping Prince Anduin. Not surprisingly, the worgen reacted first, jumping to her feet with a snarl. "What'd you do to her?!"

"It was the sauroks," Guildenkranz informed her tersely before looking at Evalynna. "Paladin?"

Even before she asked, the human was on her feet, striding over to where Orsinago had set Jestana down. "Did you take on too many at once?"

"Yes. I used too much mana and didn't have enough to heal her afterwards." Priestess and paladin knelt on either side of the unconscious huntress. "I can mend some damage now, but not enough. The two of us together can."

Evalynna nodded and extended her hands across her older sister's body to Guildenkranz. After a moment of surprise, she took the offered hands in hers. Both women closed their eyes and concentrated, sharing their mana and command of the Light before directing their energies into healing the huntress between them. Once they sensed that Jestana was out of danger, they slowly drew back from the connection and released it. Guildenkranz swayed and fell backwards, into a pair of legs. "Are you all right, Mother?"

"Fine, Seb," she assured him, even though she could already feel a migraine starting. Sharing mana and healing energies was risky, even with a fellow priest, let alone a paladin, but it'd been necessary.

She turned her attention back to Jestana and saw that Orsinago had her head and shoulders resting in his lap, carefully stroking her hair back from her face. Evalynna was slumped against Artemia's side, wincing a little. Her son distracted her, squeezing her shoulders. "Fine, right. I _know_ you have a migraine coming on, Mother."

"It's getting late anyway." Prince Anduin's interjection sent a flash of panic through Guildenkranz. How much had he seen? How much did he guess? "We should all get some rest. Thank you for your efforts."

With that, he returned to his hut. The rest of them exchanged surprised glances. What did his reaction -- or lack of one -- mean? Guildenkranz found herself leaning against Evalynna as the others handled the sleeping arrangements, the two of them moving as little as possible. When it was time to sleep, she was directed to lie next to Jestana so the human was sandwiched between her and Orsinago. Seboath lay back-to-back with Guildenkranz. She found out later that Evalynna settled next to Orsinago with Artemia on the paladin's other side. Cuddled against Jestana's back, reassured by the human woman's steady breathing, she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Jestana, over here." The huntress hesitated only briefly as she passed Orsinago speaking in Orcish with the orc general, Nazgrim. "I can't believe we survived the destruction of the Jade Serpent."

She dropped to her knees beside the admiral, studying him worriedly. His injuries seemed to have been tended to and only required time to heal. "Are you all right, Admiral?"

He winced as he shifted position, one hand going to the bandages around his torso. "Jade Forest was a disaster. Anduin's gone." Jestana chose not to tell him that she knew where the prince was. She respected his wishes to learn more about the pandaren. If she told the admiral, he'd insist on going to retrieve Anduin and take him back to Stormwind. "We lost some good people. We didn't stop the Horde from advancing into the continent."

"That I've seen for myself." She cast another glance at the Horde soldiers on the other side of the room. Her mate had left and Nazgrim glared at her when he noticed her looking at him.

Admiral Taylor laughed weakly, drawing her attention back to him. "Good point. I think I've found a way to get the locals on our side. You just helped fight off some of these 'yaungol', no?" 

"I did. They remind me of the tauren in some ways," Jestana answered the question warily, not sure where he was going with this line of thought.

"I hear yaungol sacked Westwind Rest, a local village. We've been told that two groups of survivors have camped out along the road west out of town," he explained, eager despite his wounds. "We help them out, maybe they'll consider siding with the Alliance."

She caught his hopeful look and stifled a sigh. "Let me guess, you'd like _me_ to help them out because you and the others are barely mobile."

Taylor offered her a sheepish grin. "Well, yes."

"Consider it done, sir," Jestana assured him, getting to her feet.

His smile was full of relief. "Thank you, Huntress Ivers."

She merely inclined her head and left the apothecary's house. _I'm sick to death of this conflict, but they'll be suspicious if I refuse to do my part._ Obsidiana dashed up to her and rubbed against her legs. "Hello, old girl." When she leaned down to pet the panther, the feline gently caught her hand in her mouth and tugged. "All right, all right, I'm coming."

Obsidiana led her around the apothecary's house to a bench nearby. Orsinago already occupied it, Firestorm stretched out by his booted feet. Her mate lifted his hand in greeting, speaking in Thalassian: _"Hello, Jes."_

 _"Hello, Orsi,"_ she responded in kind, sitting down beside him while the panther laid down beside the lynx. _"What did Nazgrim want?"_

He busied himself with unbuckling his armor, not looking at her as removed his gloves and bracers. _"He's not too pleased that any Alliance soldiers survived, including you."_

 _"I didn't understand the word he used when he saw me, but I gathered it wasn't a polite one,"_ Jestana assured him, removing her own gloves and bracers. _"For the record, Taylor wasn't too thrilled that your people survived, too."_

Orsinago gave a humorless laugh as he removed his shoulder guards. _"Bet that was one hell of a boat ride, all of them too weak to do more than insult each other."_

 _"Personally, I'm glad I missed it."_ Jestana removed the shoulder guard on her left shoulder. She didn't wear one on the right because it interfered with her ability to aim and shoot her gun. _"I'd have been tempted to throw them all overboard. Lorewalker Cho must be a saint to have put up with it."_

He grinned and caught her hand with his, squeezing briefly. She did her best to ignore the tingle that went through her at his touch. There wasn't enough time. _"Anyway, Nazgrim doesn't feel the hozen are reliable allies and thinks the pandaren will work out better."_

 _"That's funny: Admiral Taylor wants me to get the pandaren to support the Alliance."_ Jestana frowned, watching as Orsinago removed his chestguard. His wince of pain didn't escape her notice.

She reached down for her backpack and pulled out her first aid kit, removing bandages. Without being asked, he lifted his shirt so she could tend to the gash that started on his side and continued onto his stomach. He gasped softly when she began to clean the wound. _"Let me guess: you're going to help the pandaren from Westwind Rest."_

 _"Right, and you'll be helping the ones from Eastwind Rest."_ She finished cleaning the injury and carefully bandaged it.

He smoothed his shirt down once she finished. _"Where are your sisters?"_

 _"It seems my baby sister is pregnant,"_ she told him with a grin. _"And I introduced Temmi to Laina and they're traveling together for now."_

Orsi grinned back. _"Please send my congratulations to Evalynna, Rudyard, and Indilwen."_

 _"I will."_ She glanced around curiously. _"What about Guildie and Seb?"_

His grin faded. _"They're at Stoneplow, helping with all the injuries that have been inflicted."_

 _"I thought that might be the case."_ Jestana sighed softly.

He sighed, too, and added in a low voice: _"I really hate this, Jes."_

 _"I do, too, Orsi,"_ she murmured, catching his hand with hers once again. _"We had a few happy years together, but now this happened."_

Orsinago nodded, squeezing her hand lightly. _"Have you had a chance to visit Raunien?"_

 _"I haven't had time to go back to Hyjal,"_ she blinked back tears as she thought of their beautiful son, growing up without them.

He reluctantly released her hand, turning his attention to his chestguard, searching for the hole that had allowed him to be injured in the first place. _"You didn't **have** to come, you know. Your king would have understood."_

 _"I needed to come for Eva and Temmi,"_ Jestana reminded him, removing her own chestguard to check it for any needed repairs.

 _"I know."_ He sighed softly. They sat in companionable silence as they repaired their gear, wordlessly exchanging tools and materials. Once they finished their work, they followed the path from the village together. _"Promise me that you'll get leave and go visit our son soon."_

She smiled up at him, checking that no one was nearby before she stretched up to kiss him softly. _"Only if you promise the same."_

 _"I'll try to bring Guildie with me,"_ he told her, returning the soft kiss. _"Deal?"_

_"Deal."_

* * *

"Papa!" Raunien threw his arms around Orsinago's legs with a wide smile on his chubby face.

Grinning, he leaned down and scooped the boy up for a tight hug, breathing in his baby scent as he did. "Hello, Raunien. I've missed you."

"Missed you, too, Papa." The smile faded, replaced by a somber look. "Why you gone so long?"

Guildenkranz answered the question for her husband, having come in from putting their hawkstriders in the stable with Jestana's horse: "Because the Warchief wished us to go and we can't refuse the Warchief."

"Mama Guildie!" Raunien grinned once again, leaning over from Orsinago's arms to hug her.

She gently took him and hugged him back. Orsinago looked at the doorway his son had come from and smiled when he saw Jestana there, Obsidiana at her side. "Hello, Jes."

"Is that any way to greet your mate?" Guildenkranz gave him an exasperated look. "Go greet her properly!"

Laughing, he closed the distance between them and swept Jestana into a kiss that expressed how much he loved and missed her. She smiled happily at him when they parted to catch their breath. " _Much_ better."

"Ew!" Raunien offered his opinion, peeking from behind the hands he had over his eyes. "Kissing is gross."

Guildenkranz squeezed him briefly before setting him on his feet. "You might change your mind once you're older. If you don't, that'll be fine, too."

"No, I won't!" he asserted, only to cover his eyes again when the two women kissed each other.

Orsinago reached down and ruffled his bright red hair, watching the two women he loved best in the world. "It's how we show we love each other, Raunien. Just like when we hug you."

"You're not gonna kiss me, are you?" His son looked up at him with wide eyes the same brown as his mother's.

He shook his head, stifling a laugh. "Not if you don't want us to. We're happy to stick with hugs."

"Good." He looked relieved, and then glanced at the door behind Orsinago and Guildenkranz. "Where's Sebbie?"

Orsinago sighed, stifling a pang of worry for his older son. "He couldn't get leave. Hopefully, he will soon."

"I hope so, too," Jestana agreed, having finished saying hello to Guildenkranz.

They moved into the living room, settling on the couch. Raunien insisted on snuggling up to his father. Jestana sat beside her mate and Guildenkranz sat next to the little boy. Orsinago glanced at Guildenkranz, raising his eyebrows in silent inquiry. She nodded slightly in reply, a small smile curving her lips. When he turned to his mate, she was eyeing the two of them curiously. "We have news for you, Jes."

"I gathered as much," she responded dryly, brown eyes amused. "What's going on?"

Guildenkranz leaned forward to peer around Orsinago at the huntress. "I'm pregnant."

"Finally!" Grinning, Jestana got up so she could hug the priestess. "Congratulations."

Orsinago smiled as he watched them, his arm resting around Raunien. "Papa?"

"Yes, son?" He looked down at the boy inquiringly.

After a moment, he asked, "What does 'pregnant' mean?"

"It means I'm going to have a baby," Guildenkranz explained as Jestana resumed her seat beside Orsinago. She took his hand and placed it over her stomach. "Do you feel that bump?"

He nodded. "Yeah, are you getting fat?"

"No." Her mouth twitched, but she managed to remain composed. "It means your brother or sister is inside me, growing."

Raunien frowned, lightly rubbing her stomach. "Why can't he or she grow out here?"

"Because they're not big enough to live out here yet," Orsinago told him, having finally managed to compose himself. "When they are, Mama Guildie will give birth to them and you'll have a baby brother or sister."

He nodded and snuggled close to Orsinago once again. A comfortable silence descended as they enjoyed the chance to just spend time together.

* * *

"I don't know why you feel you have to do this," Danoath repeated himself as he watched his sister pack up the cottage she'd shared with Orsinago and Jestana in Mount Hyjal, though he didn't know about Jestana.

Guildenkranz didn't look up from putting her clothes into one of the packs on the stripped mattress. Orsinago and Jestana had already packed their things. "Orsi and I decided we were better off moving to Pandaria."

"Why there?" the paladin asked, frowning deeply. "There's so much fighting there. It won't be safe for your child."

The priestess shook her head as she carried her bags into the sitting room. "Not everywhere. The Valley of Four Winds is pretty peaceful."

"That's not very reassuring." Danoath sighed, following her. "I've been there myself, you know."

Guildenkranz nodded and glanced around the room, double-checking that she had everything. "You've also traveled the length and breadth of Pandaria itself. Surely you'll agree that Valley of the Four Winds is the safest place to raise a child."

He sighed again and reluctantly nodded. "You have a point. I can't help wishing you'd move back to Silvermoon. It's safe there."

"I've told you all of this before, Dan." She gave a sigh of her own. "You have to trust me to take care of myself."

The door opened then to admit Orsinago with Jestana right behind him. Guildenkranz gestured frantically with one hand while the huntress was still hidden from Danoath's sight. She quickly ducked back outside as Orsinago approached his brother-in-law. "I should have known you'd be here, Dan."

"My baby sister is moving, of _course_ I'd come, Orsinago." The paladin shook the hunter's hand briefly before dropping it.

At a knock on the door, Guildenkranz walked over and opened it to reveal 'Saerwen' standing there. "I hope I haven't come at a bad time, Guildie."

"Not at all, Sae, come in." Guildenkranz opened the door wider and the huntress entered the room, Obsidiana right on her heels.

Danoath eyed the stranger curiously. "Who is this?"

"A friend of ours, Dan." Guildenkranz moved forward to make introductions. "Saerwen Dayspring. Sae, this is my big brother, Danoath Suntouched."

She bowed, smiling politely. "It's nice to meet you, Paladin Suntouched."

"Likewise, Huntress Dayspring." He bowed briefly to her. "Excuse me, I have business to attend to and should get going."

Orsinago stepped forward. "I'll walk you out."

Once the two men were gone, Saerwen's shoulders slumped. "That was close."

"Thank the Sunwell you were behind Orsi when you first came in." Guildenkranz drew the huntress into a relieved hug.

"I'm just glad Laina finished this in time." Saerwen tapped her belt buckle in a set pattern and shrank in Guildenkranz's arms, becoming Jestana.

Orsinago returned, this time with Seboath and Raunien in tow. "Are we all set, Ladies?"

"Of course, Orsi." Jestana knelt and hugged her son. "Ready to see Pandaria, Raun?"

The little boy nodded, grinning brightly. "Yes, Mama Jes."

"Good." She scooped him up and perched him on her hip as Seboath and Orsinago picked up the last of their bags.

The last to exit the cottage, Guildenkranz locked the door, but hid the key under the mat, in case someone else wished to use it. She followed the others to where Lainathiel, a night elf mage friend of Artemia's, waited. She'd create a portal directly to the home Orsinago, Guildenkranz, and Jestana had chosen for themselves in Valley of the Four Winds. Some distance from Halfhill Market, few non-Pandarens traveled that way, so they felt it was an ideal location to raise their growing family together. At a nod from Jestana, the mage cast the portal and they each stepped through. The portal disappeared after Guildenkranz had used it and she stepped up beside her husband as he told the others, "Welcome to our new home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope to add more to this to account for the events of WoD and Legion, but I make no guarantees.


End file.
